


Last Chance

by lindseyluvsdrag



Series: One More Chance [3]
Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: M/M, RuPaul's Drag Race References, pearlet, rpdr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-11-29
Packaged: 2018-08-27 10:27:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 75,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8398039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lindseyluvsdrag/pseuds/lindseyluvsdrag
Summary: Third Installment of the One More Chance Verse.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Third Installment of the One More Chance Verse.

Jason eagerly peeked out of the window for the tenth time that night, but this time, he was sure he’d heard the door of Matt’s car close. Ever since returning back to work at Ru’s barbershop and having the occasional photography gig, the boy wasn’t at home 24/7 like his husband had grown accustomed to. **  
**

Matt opened the door, entered and just like every other night, Jason pounced on him and flooded his face with sloppy kisses.

“Well, it’s good to see you too, Pumpkin,” Matt chuckled as he grabbed his husband’s ass to steady them both. “How was your day?”  
  


“Lonely! You should’ve come home for lunch,” he said between kisses.

“I called you and told you that I couldn’t. I had to take photos for that sweet 16 party, remember?”

“But why do you even need to work? We’re rich!”

Matt eased his husband onto the oversized beige sectional. “I didn’t marry you to ‘have it easy’. I like working.”

“But that’s less time with me,” he whined.

“I spent the first nine months of our marriage at home with you. I’m lucky that the barbershop even took me back.”

“Can we just buy you your own shop so that I can set your hours for you? You’ll cut hair for about an hour a day and then spend the rest of the time with me,” Jason giggled as he pulled Matt down next to him. “And our baby.”

Matt exhaled loudly and attempted to push himself off of the couch but Jason held firmly onto his arm.

“Babe, you said we could talk about this! I already contacted an adoption agency.”

“What’d they say?”

“We have an appointment next Wednesday at one.”

“Wednesday at one- Jason, I already told you that I’m booked for a wedding that day.”

The brunette shrugged. “Cancel.”

“These people have been planning this for months, I can’t just cancel on them. You cancel your adoption thing.”

“ _My_ adoption thing? Don’t you mean _our_ adoption thing?”

Matt rolled his eyes and pushed himself off of the couch. He entered the kitchen, quickly followed by his husband.

“You always do this shit!” Jason fumed. “You say it’s okay to go ahead with the adoption stuff and then when I do, you freak out or act like you don’t even want kids!”

“I don’t!” he retorted but instantly regretted it when he saw his husband’s pout. “I mean, not right now. Babe, we haven’t even been married a year yet. Let’s enjoy the honeymoon phase. If we have a kid, we won’t be able to have sex everyday anymore,” he chuckled in attempt to ease the tension.

“But I want it all now,” Jason whined. “We have the marriage, now we need the kids and the house.”

“House?”

“Yeah,” he said as if it was obvious. “We can’t stay in this tiny apartment forever.”

“I’ve been here since before I even met you. It’s a great location, close to work, close to Sal’s donuts. I don’t want to move.”

“Where would our baby sleep, Matt? In the bathtub?”

“We don’t have a baby,” he mumbled under his breath as he turned to the refrigerator. He opened the stainless steel door and immediately went for the cold pizza.

Jason sat on the barstool, placed his folded his arms on the counter and buried his face into them. When he whimpered, Matt turned around.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“My head hurts,” he mumbled.

“I love how every time we disagree on something , your head conveniently begins to hurt so that I can feel bad.”

“Well, I’m not faking it, if that’s what you mean.”

“I didn’t say that, but it is convenient because it stops your yelling,” Matt chuckled.

Jason didn’t respond so his husband moved to his side of the counter and kissed ebony waves. “Babe, I’m kidding. You know that I’d never want to see you in pain. Come on, I’ll carry you to the room and get you some Advil.”

When Jason didn’t move, Matt’s heart skipped a beat. “Pumpkin?” He gave his husband a little shake before pulling him into his arms. The brunette was limp. “Jason!” Matt panicked as he attempted to check his pulse. His own heart was beating so frantically that he couldn’t differentiate the two.

“Oh my God, Oh my God,” Matt panicked as he pulled his phone from his pocket and immediately dialed 911.

“911, what’s your emergency?” the dispatcher answered.

“My name is Matt and I live at 724 West Vearl Ave, my husband is unconcious! I-I-I don’t know if I even feel a pulse! Please send an ambulance! Hurry!”

—

“Sir, calm down!” the nurse ordered. “Your husband’s breathing never stopped, so that’s a good sign, but you say he was complaining of a headache before he passed out, so we have to keep him overnight for tests. He’s awake now but you can’t go see him like this, you have to calm down.”

“Okay, okay,” he panted. “I’m just– okay.”

Matt followed the nurse down the cold hospital corridor and the PTSD instantly set in.

“Knock, knock,” the woman said softly as she opened the door to Jason’s room.

“Hi baby,” the brunette rasped with a smile. Although he could breathe on his own, the boy still had oxygen being fed to him through the cannula placed at his nose along with an IV in his arm.

Matt’s heart pounded against his chest as he made his way over to his husband’s side. With tears still in his eyes, he leaned down and kissed him.

“Aw, don’t cry, Matt.”

“He did a lot more than cry,” the nurse chuckled. “They practically had to restrain him when they brought you in. That’s love. Your MRI is scheduled for 7a.m.” She informed before leaving.

“I hate hospitals,” Matt sniffled. “They just remind me of the time I almost lost you and I can’t go through that again. My heart can’t take it.”

“I hate hospitals because they keep it so fucking cold in here,” Jason joked before grabbing his husband’s hand. “You aren’t going to lose me. I admit that I should’ve gone to the doctor the second those chronic headaches started, but you know how stubborn I am.”

Matt pursed his lips in order to fight the onset of new tears.

“Babe, please don’t cry.”

He nodded. “I promise I’ll be a better husband and I’ll be more supportive of your dreams.”

“We’ll talk about that later,” Jason said as he bit his lip and glanced at the door. “Did you bring any condoms?” he whispered.

Matt couldn’t help but smile. “You are something else.”

“I can’t help that I have a sexy husband. If I had a vagina, we’d probably have twelve kids by now.”

He laughed. “I love you.”

“I love you too. Do you know what next week is?”

Matt nodded. “Our anniversary,” he said before kissing him.


	2. Chapter 2

“I know you have at least one condom in your wallet,” Jason repeated. “I keep count.”

Matt laughed as he shook his head. “I’m sure you do.”

“I doooo. Babe, let’s fuck,” the brunette whispered.

He attempted to pull his husband out of the seat next to his bed to straddle him, but Matt wouldn’t budge. “We’re not having sex with you like…this.”

Jason frowned. “Like what?”

“In the hospital and-”

“Bullshit! We’ve done it in the hospital before.”

“Yeah, I know but that’s after I knew you’d be okay. Like what if we have sex now and you…pass out again,” he said quietly.

“Then that just means you’re doing it right,” he said with a giggle. “Babe, please.” Jason pouted. “Pleaseeee.”

Matt found his husband’s childlike demeanor to be incredibly adorable, but he was stoic about his decision. “No.”

The brunette frowned and rolled onto his side, away from the other man.

“Pumpkin,” Matt sighed. “Don’t be mad at me.”

Jason didn’t respond.

“Babe,” Matt groaned. “At a time like this, can’t we just hold each other and talk about our lives together? A new house…a kid.”

Jason’s face immediately lit up as he turned to face his husband. “I’m listening.”

Matt cleared his throat. “Well, um.”

The more the man hesitated, the more his husband frowned.

“Okay, okay. A house,” Matt finally began. “I’ve been in my apartment for six years. It’s a little sentimental to me and I wanna keep it.”

“Done,” Jason said simply.

“Um, so what kind of place where you thinking about?”

“Definitely a house dripping with opulence. I’m tired of that generic apartment. Fifth avenue perhaps?”

“Babe, fifth avenue is like an hour away from my job, not to mention so fucking expensive.”

“Have you forgotten how filthy, stinking rich we are?”

“No,” he exhaled. “But I won’t feel comfortable living in a fifty million dollar house while people downtown are homeless.”

“Well, it isn’t your fault that they’re homeless so you can only feel so bad, babe. A house on fifth avenue would be a great investment for our children to eventually inherit. But there are other good locations.”

“I wanna stay in Brooklyn.”

Jason frowned. “But I don’t. The only reasonable location in Brooklyn is the Coney island beach fronts and those  condos aren’t even nice.”

Matt groaned.

“Let’s start our search in New York.”

“Home of the snobs.”

The brunette pouted. “I just want us to have nice things and you’re being so difficult.”

“I’m not being difficult.”

“Yes you are,”  he said, on the verge of tears. “I won’t apologize for loving you and wanting to have a perfect house and wanting to have your babies. I love you so much and hurts me when we aren’t on the same page.”

“We are on the same page. I’m willing to look at any house you want to. I don’t care where we live, Pumpkin. As long as I’m with you nothing else matters, but I don’t want you to get upset or put more stress on yourself.

“Okay,” he whimpered with an exaggerated pout.

Matt smiled. “I love you.”

The brunette continued to frown.

“Oh, you’re not gonna say it back?”

Jason shook his head.

“Now look who’s being difficult,” the man growled before leaning in and attacking his husband’s face with sloppy kisses.

“Eww,” he giggled.

“Say…you…love me.”

“No!”

Matt gave the brunette’s neck a firm bite in retaliation against his stubbornness. Then another. Jason squealed.

“Say you love me,” he repeated.

Like a child, Jason laughed deviously as he shook his head.

Matt accepted the challenge; biting his lip as he climbed onto the bed and straddled his husband. “Jason Lent,” the man said sternly. “This is your last chance. Tell me that you love me or suffer the consequences.”

With sass, the brunette rolled his neck as he folded his arms. Without another word, Matt grabbed his husband’s wrists, pinned them above his head and took his lips against his own.

“Fuck me,” Jason whispered when his lover pulled away to attack his neck.

“Nope,” he retorted sharply.

“Please,” the brunette sniffled.

At the sounds of the brewing tears, Matt paused.

“Please,” Jason repeated.

“Pumpkin, don’t cry,” he sighed. “You know I can’t stand to see you cry.”

“Then just make love to me, please. I need you.”

“But there’s no lock on the door and the nurse hasn’t done her night check yet.”

“I don’t care,” he whined. “If someone sees, that’s their problem. We’re married and it’s our right to have sex.”

“Pumpkin…”

Tears finally slid onto the brunette’s cheeks. “Matt, I don’t know what’s wrong with me…the headaches, the blackouts…maybe I’m dying.” Matt tried to intervene but his husband placed a finger over his lips. “I’m only saying that I want every moment of my life spent on loving you.”

Matt couldn’t say no to that. He gave the door a cautious glance before turning his attention to his husband’s lips, proceeding with their usual foreplay.

Just as they were about to make love, Matt got the idea to place the chair against the door before he climbed underneath the generic hospital sheets with his husband. The couple then wasted no time getting it on and just like always, Matt hit all of Jason’s sweet spots, causing his lover to moan within minutes.

“Fuck,” he gasped. “You feel so good, baby.”

Matt froze when he thought he heard the doorknob rattle. “Is someone coming?” he whispered frantically.

“ _I’m_ not coming so it don’t matter,” Jason whined as he wrapped his legs around his husband’s waist. “Don’t stoppp.”

The man listened for a few more seconds to allow the paranoia to fade before returning his attention to thrusting in and out of his lover.

Desperate to just satisfy his husband, Matt pushed Jason’s legs up to his waist, pounding directly into the brunette’s prostate while he grabbed his cock to stroke him at the same time.

Jason panted and writhed under the urgency of his lover’s touch. “Slow down,” he pleaded, but Matt refused; making sure his thrusts matched the movements of his hand because it was a surefire way to get his husband off.

The brunette placed a hand on Matt’s lower abdomen as a last ditch effort to prolong the toe-curling sensations but he lasted only a second longer before the trembling orgasm washed over his body.

“Shit,” he panted as he shot a load full of cum onto Matt’s hand, who immediately lapped up every bit of it. The man then pulled out and stroked himself to a finish, exploding all over Jason’s stomach.

When his lover collapsed on top of him in a heap the brunette wrapped his arms around the man and kissed his neck. “I love you,” he finally exhaled. 

—

After cleaning up, Matt pulled his husband into a cuddle, comforting the man immensely as his oxygen tube hissed in the background.   

“Thank you,” Jason whispered with an affectionate kiss to the back of his lover’s hand.

“You don’t have to thank me for sex. I thank _you_ for sparing me by not crying. You’re an ugly crier,” he teased.

Jason gasped. “Am not.”

“You are, but it makes you even more adorable.”

“You’re a jerk,” the brunette said before yawning.

Matt kissed the back of his husband’s neck. “Go to sleep, Pumpkin. You have a long day tomorrow.”

“You are with me, therefore, I can conquer anything.”

—

“I’m scared,” Jason whimpered as the MRI technician patiently waited for him to stop moving.

“It’ll be okay, Pumpkin. I’ll be here the entire time,” his husband assured.

“I wish I could hold your hand.”

“Me too. But I’ll play you some music to pass the time.”

“Okay,” Jason sighed.

Matt gave him a tender kiss that seemed to but the brunette at ease before the technician started the machine.

—

After an agonizing twenty minutes, Jason was finally returned to his room and soon after, he held onto Matt’s hand until it was numb as his doctor relayed the news.

“So it looks as if you’ve had a hemorrhagic stroke.”

The couple’s hearts sank.

“What?” Jason asked in disbelief. “What do you mean?”

The man clipped the black and white MRI print to the screen. “You see these white spots along here?” he asked as he pointed to the area. “This is where your frontal lobe was injured in the car accident. It caused the contusion that has led to the bruising of your brain tissues, now there is petechial hemorrhaging. The frontal lobes are responsible for motor functions, spontaneity, memory, impulse control, social and sexual behavior-”

“What about sexual behavior?” Jason blurted.

“It could make someone more promiscuous than usual.”

“No… I’d say that’s about the same,” Matt sighed. “But he’s been having severe headaches for several months now and last night, he fainted. That shit just…”

Jason looked at his husband. “Babe,” he exhaled.

“I’m fine,” he lied as he suppressed the memory of seeing his lover unconscious. “So how do we fix it?” Matt asked, attempting to keep his voice steady.

“It usually involves medications and close monitoring in an intensive care unit. In rare cases, surgery may be needed to relieve pressure around the brain but luckily, that’s not the case with you.”

“Do I have to stay in the hospital?” the brunette asked.

“I’d like to monitor you for another night.”

Jason frowned. “I don’t wanna spend another night here,” he whined. “Just give me some meds so I can go home.”

“But if I don’t know your symptoms, then I can’t prescribe you anything.”

“He just told you. My head hurts, I’m passing out and my brain’s apparently bleeding. You’re a doctor, figure it out,” Jason snapped.

“Babe,” Matt reprimanded. “Calm down.”

“I am calm. But I really don’t want to stay here another night.”

“Why not?”

He hesitated as he glanced at the doctor. “Because I don’t! I’m not going to keep repeating myself. I said I want to go and that’s what’s going to happen.”

Matt scoffed. “You’re being a brat.”

Jason pouted. “Okay,” the brunette said dismissively as he pushed himself off of the bed and towards the exit.

“Pumpkin,” Matt sighed as he followed him. “Excuse me, doc.”

The man nodded understandingly.

Matt made his way out of the room and quickly caught up with his husband who was storming towards the elevator. He grabbed the brunette’s arm. “Babe, stop.”

With tears already streaming down his face, Jason pulled away from the man. “Leave me alone.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Matthew,” he said sarcastically. “I’m tired, my head hurts and I’m paranoid that every nurse or staff member here is someone who wants to finish my father’s job and kill me. I’m scared for my life and I don’t feel like I can trust anyone, but that makes me a brat right?”

Matt felt like shit. “I’m sorry, Pumpkin.”

Jason wiped his eyes with the back of his hand as the elevator doors slid open. “Of course you are. You’re always sorry.” The brunette sniffled as he entered the lift.

“Do you forgive me?”

Jason didn’t reply as he pressed the button for the ground floor. Matt sighed and entered the elevator right before the doors closed.

The man grabbed his husband’s arm and despite Jason’s protests, Matt pulled him into a tight embrace.

“Let me go, damn it!”

“Stop!” he ordered. “I’m not a fucking mind reader! I’m your husband! You know that I’d never want you to feel as though your safety is being compromised. If you don’t want to stay tonight then fine, but you could’ve just told me why.”

Jason tried to suppress his tears. “Being in hospitals, doctor’s offices, hell, even the pharmacy terrifies me. It’s just scary to have a stranger be in control of what goes into your body. We don’t know these people or their intentions.” He couldn’t control himself from sobbing as he said the next part. “My father knows so many people…and people who know people. All it would take is a phone call.”

“Babe, he’s in jail. They monitor everything that he does.”

“See, I knew you wouldn’t understand,” Jason sniffled as he tried to pull away.

The elevator doors slid open and an elderly couple entered but Matt, who usually wasn’t big on public affection, didn’t care as he continued to hold his husband close.

“Pumpkin, I do understand. If you don’t remember, I was in that car and he had a hit on my head too.”

Jason nodded as he wiped his eyes again. “I have panic attacks every time that you leave the house,” the brunette sniffled. “I wait for you by the door like a damn dog. Every time an unknown number calls me, my heart races because I have no idea who will be on the other end. And sometimes I just feel like I can’t breathe,” he whimpered, on the verge of more tears.

Matt’s heart wrenched. “Babe, I had no idea all of this was going on.”

“That’s why I want to move so much. Some place where nobody knows us.”

“Jason…if it makes you happy, I’ll,” he sighed, “get rid of the apartment.”

The brunette nodded.

“Compromise,” the elderly woman said simply. “That’s the secret to a happy marriage.”

“Forty years,” the man added with a smile.

“Compromise,” Matt repeated.

“Compromise and get me my house,” Jason said with a pout.

Matt stole a kiss from his husband’s tense lips. “Whatever it takes to make you feel safe again.”

The brunette smiled and wrapped his arms around his husband just as the elevator doors slid open.

—

Matt grinned at his husband’s childlike excitement when they entered the first house that their realtor, Naomi, was showing them.

“Oh my God, babe! Look at all the marble! It looks just like home,” he squealed.

“Yaaas. This is a six bedroom, four bathroom craftsman style colonial. The terrace has a pool and panoramic views of downtown New York,” Naomi informed. “There’s a living room, a family room and luxury chef’s kitchen all spread out over sixteen thousand square feet.”

“That’s a little big ain’t it?” Matt asked as he stared about the sterile abode. “The apartment is like eight hundred square feet.”

“That’s the problem,” Jason reminded. “No room for babies.”

“I guess,” Matt sighed before he followed his husband into the kitchen.

“Can you imagine me cooking your steaks in here?” Jason asked.

Matt cackled. “Hell no.”

The brunette rolled his eyes before whipping his hair and posing provocatively as he bent over the sink. “What about now?”

“You might burn the house down with that thing.”

Jason giggled as he threw his arms around his husband’s neck. They shared a kiss before Naomi approached.

“So what do you guys think?”

“We’ll take it!” Jason declared.

“Whoa, wait,” Matt intervened. “I don’t like this place.”

“Why not?” the brunette whined.

“It feels so cold and sterile. It’s almost like a museum.”

“But I love it. It reminds me of home.”

“That’s the problem,” his husband teased.

Jason gave the man’s cheeks a firm pinch.

“Ow,” he groaned. “That’s not going to make me like this house, jerk.”

“Whyyyy?” he whined. “You said you wanted to make me happyyyy.”

“I do but that happy has to come through a compromise. I want something simpler.”

Jason pouted.

“How much is this place anyways?”

“Fifty-five million,” Naomi informed.

“What the fuck?! That’s- I’m out of here,” Matt said as he rushed towards the exit.

“Babe!” The brunette pleaded as he followed his husband out the door. "It’s way cheaper than what I thought it’d be!”

“On to the next,” Naomi sighed.

–

“Okay, this is a two bedroom, two bathroom abode. It is on the simpler side and-”

“Trashy side is more like it,” Jason groaned.

“Babe, not even,” Matt defended. “I love the paint color and the hardwood floors.”

“But the kitchen is so small,” he whined.

“Jason, it’s not like you cook!”

“I know, but there’s a sense of extreme pleasure in having a nice kitchen.”

“I think this kitchen is great,” Matt assured. “This place feels homey and very family friendly.”

Jason scoffed. “This is not family friendly. I’d rather raise my kids in a crack house.”

“Oh my God. You’re so dramatic.”

“Well, sorry that I actually have taste in homes and that I don’t want to live in that shack anymore!”

“Then why have you been there for four years? Why haven’t you moved out?”

The question seemed to ignite something in the brunette and he couldn’t control himself from shouting at the top of his lungs.

“Maybe because I love you and I decided to compromise, but you wouldn’t know anything about that! You’re such a selfish asshole!”

“I’m selfish?! I’m selfish?! You’re the most selfish, spoiled rotten brat that I’ve ever met! You want to buy a fifty-five million dollar house when there are starving kids all over the world and I’m not having it!”

“Well, excuse the hell out of me, Captain Queer! This is my money and I’ll do what I want with it!”

“That’s fine! Do it without me!”

Jason pouted and his shouting turned into sobs nearly instantly. “Why would that to me? You act like you don’t want to be married and you’re trying to dictate decisions that should be made by the both of us.”

“No, you are! I’m sorry if I don’t want to spend what more than half of the country will never make in their lifetime on a stupid house that’ll never have more than like three people in it. It’s just wasteful. They should turn useless places like that into homeless shelters or something.”

The brunette continued to sob and it was effective in making his husband feel terrible.

Matt sighed. “Babe, I’m doing my best to work with you on this. I want you to have a beautiful home but can’t we have something nice yet affordable? The word of the day is compromise and I need more of it.”

“Okay,” Jason sniffled.

The man pulled his husband close. “Please stop crying, Pumpkin. You look ugly,” he teased.

The brunette pouted and pinched his husband’s side before Matt stole a kiss.

“Okay, I think I have something that you both may like,” Naomi announced as she scrolled through her listings.

“Lead the way and save our marriage,” Matt chuckled.

—

“This is a four bedroom, three bathroom townhouse and I think it’d be perfect for you guys.”

“First things first,” Jason began, “if there’s no marble in here, I refuse to look at it.”

Naomi giggled. “There’s plenty of marble,” she assured.

When the trio entered the home, Jason immediately turned on his heel but Matt grabbed his arm to stop him.

“Babe what’s wrong with this one? It’s nice!”

“There’s no marble!”

“The hearth of the fireplace is carrara marble,” the realtor informed.

“But the facade of it isn’t! It doesn’t even match and it’s super ugly.”

“Pumpkin,” Matt chastised. “That’s cosmetic and it can easily be changed. I’ll even do it myself if you want.”

“Pfft, you don’t even know how to use a hammer.”

Matt pulled his husband close by the waist. “I know how to use _this_ hammer,” he whispered in his ear.

Jason giggled.

“Give this place a chance, okay? You might like it.”

The brunette nodded before they shared a kiss.

“I do like everything else. The room is a decent size and the chandelier is beautiful.”

Matt smiled and grabbed his husband’s hand as they continued to make their way through the house.

“Oh my God, I love this kitchen!” Jason squealed.

“And a cute dining room table can go here and a chase can go there.”

“The countertop and backsplash are both carrara marble as well,” Naomi added.

“And the balcony!”

Jason snatched away from Matt’s hand and burst out onto the terrace. “It’s so beautiful out here!”

“Does the patio furniture come with the house?” Matt asked Naomi.

“Yes, it does.”

“Oh no, we’ll get new furniture,” Jason assured. “Silver and gold gilded pieces with ornate detailings and maybe a fountain with mermaids engraved on the sides and-”

“Pumpkin!” Matt cackled. “Let’s see the rest of the house before you start moving in.”

The brunette rushed back inside and Naomi continued with the home’s details. “There’s a second kitchen and family/game room downstairs. It’s like a small apartment that could be rented out for an extra income.”

“Nope,” Jason replied instantly. “I won’t share my house with a potential killer.”

“Fair enough,” the realtor said. “The previous owner used the first room on the right as a nursery.”

Jason turned to his husband with bright eyes as he pulled him along.

“Aww, babe, this room is perfect for a baby! The crib can go there and the rocking chair can go by the window.”

Matt gulped but when his husband beamed at him, he forced a smile. “Let’s find the master bedroom,” the man said in attempt to squash the baby talk.

“Rawr,” the brunette growled as he and his husband followed the realtor to what would be the couple’s bedroom.

“And this is where the magic will happen,” Matt declared.

Jason frowned. “It’s a little small.”

“I’m sure we can renovate. Knock down this wall and make two rooms into one large master suite.”

“But then we’d only have three bedrooms,” Jason said with a pout.

“But it’s just us. Why do we need so many bedrooms?”

“Babies, Matt! Babies!”

The man rolled his eyes.

Before the fighting could start again, Naomi redirected the couple’s attention to the bathroom and walk-in closet.

“Matt,” Jason gasped. “I could live in this bathroom! It’s so perfect!”

Naomi nodded and these shelves here are meant to warm up your towels. That way they’ll be nice and toasty when you get out of the shower or-“

“Tub!” the brunette squealed. “I’d spend hours in here. And Matt can have my towel ready when I get out,” he said as he nudged his husband in the rib.

The realtor grinned. “And I hope you have enough clothing to fill this closet.”

“I think I’ll have to buy more just for the hell of it!” the brunette giggled as he got lost amongst the shelves of the small room that overlooked the soaker tub.

“Ugh, I think I love this house,” Jason said as he spun around the closet. “Although…babe, can we put a chandelier in here?”

Matt laughed. “Anything to make you happy.”

“Getting this house would make me _so_ happy,” he chirped.

“And how much is this house?” the man asked the realtor.

“Three and a half million.”

Matt’s eyebrows shot up.

“Is that all?!” Jason asked in disbelief. “They’re practically giving it away!”

“Pumpkin, that’s a lot of money.”

“Noooo, Matt. That’s a really good price! Please don’t get all rigid on me because this house is perfect. It has plenty of space for a family. It’s kinda simple but it has all the luxurious fixtures that I require in my home and it’s in Brooklyn like you wanted! It’s like it was made for us.”

Matt tapped his foot as he continued to think.

“Babeee,” the brunette whined. “Please?” he asked with a pout.

The man sighed. “Fine.”

“Eee!” Jason squealed. He jumped into his husband’s arms and showered his face with tender kisses.

“Congratulations, I’ll go start the paperwork for you guys,” Naomi said before exiting the closet.

“So when are you going to fix my fireplace and put a chandelier in here?”

“Right now,” Matt laughed before securing his husband’s ass in his hands before running out of the room with Jason in his arms.

—

After hiring a contractor to put in the most expensive marble, chandeliers and fancy trimmings into his new home,Jason also insisted that the place needed a new coat of paint.

“The paint looks fine,” Matt assured.

“I knowwww, but I want something fresher,” Jason declared.

His husband rolled his eyes and watched as the brunette scanned through the paint color swatches. He picked up two.

“Hmm, Rock Crystal?” he asked as he held up one.

Then he held up the other. “Or Silver City?”

Matt chuckled and Jason shot him a frown.

“What?”

“Which one?” the brunette demanded.

“Those colors look _exactly_ the same to me.”

“Then you must be colorblind because they aren’t!”

“Well, calm down Beyoncé, it’s just paint.”

Jason let out a sharp exhale and Matt knew that his husband was on the verge of a tantrum.

“Pumpkin, don’t be upset. I’m trying to help but the colors you’re looking at all look similar, so just pick either one and let’s go.”

“'Just pick one’?” He scoffed. “This is our dream home, where we’re going to raise our family and you don’t even care.”

“Oh my God, yes I do! But it’s just fucking paint!” Before the argument could get out of hand, Matt’s phone began to ring and he immediately recognized the ringtone. “It’s Vinny, I’m gonna take this.”

Jason groaned.

“Hey, Vinny,” Matt answered.

“Ciao mio figlio! How are you my boy?”

“I’d be better if Jason wasn’t trying to castrate me,” he chuckled. “How are you?”

“Mio Dio, what has he done now? And I’m great! I’m packing my things in preparation for your housewarming. I will be there in three days.”

“I look forward to seeing you. And Jason isn’t doing much, just being extremely bratty. He wants me choose a paint color but all of them look the same so he’s upset that I told him to just pick any of them. He thinks that because I don’t care about the color of the walls that I don’t care about my family and he’s driving me insane.”

Jason gave his husband a firm slap on the arm. “You’re such an asshole,” he hissed through gritted teeth.

“Inaccettabile,” the man declared in his native Italian. “Let me speak with him.”

Matt was smug. “Vinny wants to talk to you.”

The brunette frowned, grabbed the phone and pushed his husband away before putting the device to his ear. “Hello?” he said sweetly.

“Mio figlio, Perché ti comporti in questo modo?”

Jason understood the gist of the question from his childhood. “Because I’m so stressed out,” he whined. “I’m trying to make my house perfect. In fact, I want everything to be perfect but Matt doesn’t seem as excited as I am and it’s annoying.”

“Non si può essere in questo modo, voi due deve lavorare insieme.”

“I only understood like, three words of that. English, please.”

“You must not act this way. Matthew loves you and you two have to work together to have a happy home.”

“I guess,” he sniffled.

“There is no guessing it’s what you need to do. You’re an adult now and you must behave like one.”

The brunette didn’t reply as tears welled up in his eyes.

“So, how is your health? Did you find out what was the cause of your headaches?”

“Umm, just dehydration,” he lied in a quiet voice.

“Dio Mio! Mio figlio prenditi cura di te!”

“I am taking care of myself but I told you I’m just stressed.”

“Well, you worry me. I’ll be there in a few days so just be good until then. Concordato?”

Jason sighed. “Sí.”

“I love you very much, mio figlio and I will see you soon.”

“I love you too.”

“Ciao.”

“Ciao,” he exhaled before hanging up. Jason returned the phone to his husband’s hand with a firm shove.

“Well damn, you don’t have to push me.”

“Fuck you, Matt. Since I drive you _sooo_ insane,” he sniffled as he began to storm off.

The man attempted to grab his husband’s hand to stop him, but Jason slapped it away and continued on towards the exit.

“I guess I’ll meet you at the car then,” he sighed before making his way out of the store.

—

When they got home, Matt realized that it was probably his last night in his beloved apartment.

Memories of relief when he first moved there to get over his ex. Adoration as he brought Jason home for the first time after rescuing him from the creeps at the bar. And heartache as he had to enter the place while the love of his life laid unconscious in an Atlanta hospital bed.

The man shook his head to fade the memory from his mind when he noticed that his husband was still upset with him. The brunette grabbed a blanket and flopped onto the oversized beige sectional. He was usually the one threatened to be banished from their bedroom to the couch, but since Jason had settled there himself, it threw Matt off.

He decided to take a chance and slid underneath the blanket with his husband.

Jason didn’t react as he continued to watch TV, but when Matt slid closer and began to kiss his neck, he frowned.

“Matt, stop. Drag race is on.”

“So I’m guessing that I fucked up big time?”

“Shhhh.”

Matt exhaled and began to remove his shirt. Jason shot him a side eyed glare, but he didn’t give the gesture a second thought. But when the man stood and unzipped his pants, the brunette took notice.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting comfortable,” Matt replied with a shrug.

“Must you do that here? Tatianna and Alyssa are about to lipsync.”

“Oh…does _this_ bother you?” he asked as he pulled down his jeans.

Jason swallowed the contents of his watering mouth. “Nope. Not at all.”

“Good,” the man chirped before ripping off his boxers and returning to his spot underneath the blanket.

“Are you seriously gonna sit on the couch with your bare ass out?”

“Hell yeah I am. You’ve done it countless amounts of times…oh wait, your ass is usually in the air with your ankles around your head,” he teased.

The brunette scoffed. “Fuck off.”

“Oh, I plan too.”

Jason rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the screen. “Oh my God, this is nerve wracking.”

Matt let out a soft moan.

Jason ignored the other man. “I have no idea who’s going to win tonight.”

“Me,” he panted as his hand movements under the blanket became more noticeable.

The brunette fought the urge to cover his ears; doing his best to ignore his husband’s shenanigans, but when the man moaned his name, he couldn’t stop himself from pulling Matt close and taking his soft lips against his.

He didn’t get to see who won the lipsync, but he figured making love to his husband all night was even better.

—

The next morning, after Jason went to the new house to make sure that the interior decorator that he hired didn’t mess anything up, Matt gnawed on his bottom lip as he removed his last pieces of clothing from the closet and into the cardboard box.

“Oh, don’t look so sad, Skipper. I’m glad you’re finally getting out of this dusty place.”

Matt grinned at the familiar voice before colliding with Jake in a firm embrace. “It’s so good to see you, Birdie.”

“I wish I could say the same,” Jake teased as he pulled away.

“Dude, I haven’t seen you since my mom came to Brooklyn for her birthday. What was that? Two months ago?”

“Yup. A lot has happened since then.” Before Matt could protest, he quickly lit his blunt and took a deep inhale.

“Jake, you know I don’t smoke anymore. Why-” he stopped abruptly when he was able to get a good look at his childhood friend.

“I know you don’t. That husband of yours has you on a pretty tight leash.”

“What happened to your eye?” he gasped as he took in the puffy black bruising around his friend’s left eye.

“I walked into a wall,” he said sarcastically.

“Who did that to you?” the man demanded.

“You remember Derrick, that tight bottom from Liquid?”

“Yeah. He wasn’t that cute but you took him home anyway.”

Jake let out a weak laugh. “Well, I took him home and I practically fell in love the first night.”

“Rebounding from Max,” Matt said under his breath.

Jake paused for a second before he continued to speak. “I moved in with him and things were great until he started flipping out on me. He didn’t want me to smoke, party or even ‘say the wrong thing’ and when I did, he’d take a swing at me.”

“Jake, that’s so fucked up. Nobody has the right to put their hands on you!”

“I know, I know. He’s way smaller than me so I didn’t even bother confronting him about it. And after he’d hit me, I’d just leave…stay at a homeless shelter for a night or two before going home and he was always remorseful so I stayed with him.”

Matt’s eyebrows furrowed. He had no idea why his friend was subjecting himself to such abuse. “What’s wrong with you? The Jake that I know wouldn’t even be in a situation like that because you hate when people tell you what to do. It just seems like after Max you’re just not yourself anymore.”

“I don’t know. I just don’t…I don’t know,” he stammered. “I really liked Max and we were doing great for those few months that he was here. I’d take him to Flatbush to the hole in the wall pizza place and he’d take me to the opera, it was stupid but seeing him so excited about it was cute, ya know?”

“So what happened?”

“He found out that his dad was sick and after all these years of begging him to join the family business, Max felt that he had no other choice but to go home and do it even though it isn’t what he wants to do with his life. I didn’t think a long distance thing would be a problem, hell, I could’ve even moved to Atlanta, but he just became so cold towards me that I said fuck it.”

“Oh wow, Jason talks to Max all the time and he never said anything about it.”

Jake took a deep inhale of his blunt. “I-I-I just feel so…empty,” he sniffled.

Matt had never seen this side of his friend and he had no choice but to pull him into a loving embrace. “I’m here for you, bro.”

Jake continued to weep on Matt’s shoulder.

“Are you still staying at the shelters?”

He nodded.

“Dude, you could’ve stayed with me this entire time,” Matt chastised.

“I know but I also know that I’m not Jason’s favorite person. He’s your husband and I respect that.”

“Yeah, he’s my husband but I can’t have you staying in a fucking homeless shelter. You’re like family to me. Even my mom calls you her son. She’d be appalled at you staying there. You’re staying at my house until you get on your feet and that’s that.”

“Ar-Are you sure?” he sniffled.

“Yes!” Matt laughed. “We have four bedrooms and it’s so unnecessary.”

Jake wiped his eyes. “Jason’s gonna kill you,” he laughed.

The boy scoffed. “I’ll handle Jason, you get your stuff and we’ll go home.”

—

With Jake close behind him, Matt entered his new home where he heard Jason’s voice emanating from downstairs.

“No, Pablo! The Salvador Dali goes on _that_ wall!”

“Oh, boy,” Jake exhaled.

Matt stared about his abode and the furnishings that his husband had chosen.

“It looks really good in here,” his friend complimented. “I’m surprised that you got rid of your sectional though. You loved that thing.”

“It was supposed to be here,” Matt groaned before making his way through the house. “Jason!”

“I’m downstairs, babe,” he replied.

“Wait, here,” Matt told his friend before quickly taking the stairs two at a time when he finally found his husband sipping wine as he supervised the decorator’s work.

“Jason, where’s the sectional? We agreed that I could keep it.”

“Baby, that couch was so old and gross. How could we really put that thing in this beautiful new house?”

“But it was mine! I’ve given up so much and agreed to do all the things that you wanted but we both said that I could keep the couch. I’ve had it even longer than I’ve had the apartment and it meant something to me and you threw it away!”

“Shhhh, Matt,” Jason cooed as he approached. “I put it in storage, my love. I’d never just throw your things away.” He kissed his husband’s tense lips. “What do you think of the décor?”

“It’s nice,” he sighed. “I have something to tell you.”

Jason frowned. “What?”

At that moment a loud crash sounded from upstairs.

“What the fuck was that?” the brunette demanded before following Matt to the first floor’s living room where Jake was steadying the large gold plate on the mantle of the fireplace.

“Sorry, Skipper. I didn’t think it’d fall. Hey, Jason,” he greeted.

The brunette scowled. “Um, hello? What are you doing here?”

“Matt invited me to stay with you guys until I get back on my feet.”

Jason turned to his husband in disbelief. “Excuse you? There’s no room here!”

“Pumpkin, stop. We have four bedrooms.”

“No, we have our bedroom, a nursery, a storage room for the nursery and a back up room for when I need to escape from your bullshit which is clearly going to be often!”

“Jake has nowhere to go. He’s been staying at homeless shelters.”

“Matt, he’s an adult.”

“And so are you, but that doesn’t stop you from crying like a baby every chance you get,” his husband retorted.

Without another word or warning, Jason tossed his wine glass onto the hardwood floor, causing it to shatter. Red wine splatter stained the cream colored rug before the brunette stormed into the master bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

“Well damn,” Jake mumbled.

“Ugh, I’m so sick of this shit,” Matt groaned.

“Should I go?”

“Nah, bro. You’re staying. Put your stuff downstairs. There’s a bedroom, a living room and kitchenette down there. Help yourself to anything in the fridge… nevermind we probably have to go grocery shopping. But what’s mines is yours.”

Jake nodded and hugged his friend. “Love you, Skipper.”

“Love you too, Birdie.”

“Good luck handling that,” he chuckled.

“I’ll definitely need it,” Matt sighed before turning on his heel to make his way towards his bedroom. When he turned the knob, he discovered that the door was locked. “Jason, open the door. This isn’t going away and we need to talk about it.”

Jason didn’t respond.

“Come on, Pumpkin. Jake’s like my brother. If Sophia were in a homeless shelter, could you let her stay there?”

Jason didn’t respond.

“You’re being beyond despicable right now. When Vinny comes to visit, do you really want him to see you like this?”

When Jason didn’t respond to that, Matt began to panic. He knocked on the door. “Jason?”

No response.

“Jason, mad at me or not, please say something so that I know that you’re okay.”

After Matt got nothing but silence, with all his might, he slammed his body against the sturdy oak door. When that didn’t work, he had to kick at the frame twice before the wood finally gave way and he found his husband unconscious on the floor.

“Jake, call 911!”

—

Matt shook uncontrollably in his seat. The smell of antiseptic made him even more nauseous on top of the guilt that he felt over his husband being there. He buried his face into his palms and whimpered.

“Skipper, I’m sure he’ll be fine. You said this has happened before.”

“But it’s a version of a stroke,”  Matt sniffled. “What if he ends up paralyzed or suffers brain damage? And I called him a baby, ugh. I’m the worst fucking husband ever.”

“No you aren’t,” his friend assured. “You’re-”

“Jake, I don’t wanna hear your bullshit right now.”

“It’s not bullshit.”

Before Matt could beat himself up anymore, the doctor rounded the corner. The man pushed himself out of the confines of his seat.

“Doc, please tell me he’s okay. Even if you have to lie to me, just tell me he’s okay because I really can’t take otherwise.” 

“He’s okay,” the doctor sighed.

Matt burst into tears and the doctor grabbed his shoulders.

“No, Jason really is okay. He’s awake. Tired, but awake.”

“Why does this keep happening?”

“When he’s feeling stressed or experiencing any type of strain, that is viable to put pressure on the frontal lobe which increases the bloodflow to the hemorrhaging.”

“I feel like I’m going to be sick.”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Lent. Your husband will be fine if he takes the medicine that I prescribed him and he gets a lot of rest.”

“Can I-I-I- see him?”

“Of course. He’s in the same room as last time.”

“Thank you,” Matt exhaled before making his way down the hall. When he reached his husband’s door and saw the trail of blood, his heart dropped.

The man swung the door open to discover an empty bed and the beginning of the blood trail.

“Nurse!” he shouted.

Within seconds one of the scrub cladded staff members was by his side and paging a code green, the signal for a missing person. Matt ignored her requests to return to the waiting room before following the blood until it stopped abruptly.

“Jason!”

He heard shuffling derive from the janitor’s closet across the hall and nearly tripped over his own foot to rush towards it. Matt practically ripped the door off of it’s hinge. And when he did, he found his weeping husband cowering on the floor next to the dirty mop as he applied pressure to his hand wound to stop the bleeding.

“Pumpkin,” Matt gasped as he dropped to his knees.

Jason immediately threw his arms around his husband. “That g-guy that gave me m-m-my medicine looked just li-like Javier. As soon as he le-left, I snatched out the IV and found a place to hide. They’re still af-after me,” he whimpered.

The terror in his husband’s voice broke Matt’s heart. “Baby, it’s okay. I’m here and nobody will ever hurt you again.” He kissed the ebony waves. “Will you come back to your room?”

“No, no,” he said in a pleading tone.

“Would you go to a new room?”

“I don’t want to be in the hospital at all.”

“Even in a private room with security out front?”

The brunette hesitated. “Maybe.”

“I’d call the secret service to your side if it’d make you feel safe.”

“I don’t want us to ever fight again.”

“Me either.”

“Jake can stay, but there’s going to be rules.”

Matt nodded.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The couple shared a kiss before Jason allowed Matt to carry him back to his room.

After getting his hand bandaged, the brunette insisted on getting moved to a new room. His husband convinced him to stay overnight for monitoring which was made tolerable by kisses, cuddles and a blowjob.

The next morning, Jason received his prescriptions and was able to leave the place he’d grown to loathe.

“Welcome home,” Jake greeted the couple when they entered.

“Sup,” Matt replied while his husband simply waved.

“Ugh, I almost forgot how perfect this place was,” Jason sighed.

Matt laughed. “You were only gone a few hours, Pumpkin.”

“I guess. But we missed our first night in our new home together.”

“We’ll make up for it tonight,” his husband growled before kissing him.

“Thank you for cleaning up my wine mess.”

“Actually, it was Jake.”

“Oh…thanks Jake.”

“You’re welcome. Salt and vinegar helped to get the stains out of the rug.”

“Since when did you become Martha Stewart?” Matt chuckled.

“Max taught me that,” his friend said quietly.

“Oh.”

“Max really did like you,” Jason admitted.

“Really?”

“Yeah. He’s just going through a tough time right now.”

“But I could’ve helped him through it. Why didn’t he say that to me?” Jake asked, growing more emotional with each word.

“I don’t know,” he lied. “It’s none of my business so I didn’t pry. But I don’t want to talk about him. Let’s talk about the house rules.”

“Okay.”

“Number one, no eating anywhere besides the kitchen or dining room.”

“Reasonable.”

“Two, no strangers in the house.”

“Okay,” he replied in a questioning tone.

“Three, no hookups here.”

“I can always go to there house,” he said smugly.

“Four, five, six: no loud music, no coming in at all hours of the night, no smoking on the property.”

Jake chuckled as he pushed himself off of the couch. “This isn’t going to work. I’ll get my stuff.”

“Jake, no,” Matt interjected.

“There’s less rules at the homeless shelter. I’ll be fine.”

“Pumpkin, these rules are kinda harsh.”

“Okay, fine. You can come in late, but no later than one.”

“I’m out,” Jake declared before taking the stairs to get his things.

Matt turned to his husband. “Why are you being like this? He’s going through a tough time right now.”

“No, _I’m_ going through a tough time. He’s just lazy.”

The man shook his head and began to make his way to the stairs.

“Whoa, where are you going?”

“To tell Jake that he can stay and only the first rule is in effect.”

Jason was flabbergasted. “Are you choosing him over me?”

“Of course not, Pumpkin. But there’s right and wrong and you’re totally wrong right now.”

The brunette frowned. “Alright, Mr. Right, the couch is all yours,” he fumed before storming into the master bedroom. When he slammed it, he was reminded that it was broken. “And fix that fucking door!”


	3. Chapter 3

_“And fix that fucking door!”_

—

Matt caught Jake just as the man was throwing what little he owned into a small duffle bag.  
  
“Jake, don’t leave.”  
  
“It’s okay, Skipper. I’d rather not fuck up your happy home.”  
  
“Jason said it was okay,” he assured. “And the only rule you have to follow is not eating all over my damn house, slob.”  
  
Jake laughed. “Alright, dude. So what can I do to help around here? You said we need groceries, I can go get them.”  
  
“That’d actually be great. I have to get a new door.”  
  
“True.”  
  
Matt leaned in to whisper. “And I have to get Jason an anniversary gift.”  
  
“Damn, has it been a year already?”  
  
The man nodded. “And I have no idea what to get him. But I’m thinking I want our housewarming party to be combined with our anniversary somehow. Something really nice to just celebrate love, family and happiness.”  
  
“How about a barbecue?”  
  
“Yeah! That’s actually an awesome idea.”

Jake burst into laughter. 

Matt frowned. “What?”  
  
“Have you ever grilled anything before?”  
  
“No…but we’re from the south too! We’ll figure it out. I know it’s big in Atlanta and Jason would be pretty impressed.”  
  
“Better get your mom out here.”  
  
“Oh, absolutely. So that’s it: a barbecue housewarming anniversary party.”  
  
“Sounds good to me.”  
  
“What do you think I ought to get him though?”  
  
“A ball gag.”  
  
Matt cackled and gave Jake a friendly punch on the shoulder. “Dork. Although, he might actually be into that.”  
  
Jake covered his ears. “Lalalala, I don’t wanna hear about your married sex life. Once you’re married sex talk becomes so gross.”   
  
“Not even! See, last night I had him bent over like this while I hit it from the back,” Matt said as he reenacted the position. “And you gotta lift this leg to really stroke that prostate and-”  
  
“Eww! Shut up,” his friend cackled. “You’re gonna make me puke.”  
  
Matt continued to laugh. “Now I know your weakness.”

  
Jake simply shook his head.

“I’ll get you a grocery list so you can make yourself useful,” Matt teased as he made his way up the stairs.

The man hesitated at the broken door of his bedroom before entering. He found his husband on the bed in the fetal position as he traced swirls on their brand new sheets.

Matt climbed onto the mattress beside the brunette and wrapped his arm around him.

“This isn’t the couch,” Jason mumbled.

“I know. It’s better.”

The brunette rolled his eyes.

“I’m only trying to do the right thing here. Jake’s matured a lot and he’ll be on his feet in no time.”

Jason didn’t reply, but turned on his other side to cuddle his husband.

“I don’t like when you’re mad at me,” Matt sighed.

“I’m not mad. I just…don’t want anyone to distract you from me. It sounds selfish but I’m selfish,” he admitted. “You’re mine and I want all of your attention.”

“Cause you’re a spoiled baby,” he teased before kissing the brunette’s forehead. “You know you have me wrapped around your finger.”

“Do I?”

“Of couse, Pumpkin.”

Jason grinned at his husband’s assuring tone.

“So I was thinking.”

“Always dangerous,” he teased.

Matt laughed and gave his husband a firm squeeze. “Jerk. So anyway,  for our anniversary, I was thinking that we could combine it with the housewarming and throw an even bigger party. A barbecue.”

The brunette gasped. “Yes, I’d love that!”

“And I want you to plan it, just go all out.”

“Oh, party planning is one thing I know how to do,” he chuckled. “But who’s going to cook?”

“I’ll see if I can get my mom out here a day earlier.”

“Eee!” the brunette squealed. “I’m so excited to see her. You know she said I was her favorite,” he said smugly.

“Of course, she’d be crazy if you weren’t.”

Jason did a little dance. “I have to get on the phone and call every party planner I know to make this happen.”

Matt grinned.

“And tell Sophia and Max to get their asses out here.”

The smile faded into a concerned frown. “Do you think it’s a good idea for Max and Jake to be in the same room?”

“You said that Jake was mature now. If he can’t suck it up for our special day then he’s really immature and a horrible friend.”

“I guess you have a point.”

“Then it’s done! I’m so excited for this. Now fix the door so they don’t think we live like savages!”

—

After several errands had been completed, the couple’s bedroom door was repaired, Jake had done the grocery shopping and Laurie Lent was on her way.

When Matt’s mother finally did arrive, she eagerly threw her arms around her son.

“Mom, why didn’t you call me? I would’ve picked you up from the airport.”

“Nonsense, I wanted to take the scenic route. How are you, baby?”

“I’m okay. How was your flight?”

“It was good.”

Jason quickly emerged from his room to greet the woman, just as Jake entered the living room.

“Hey, Mom,” the brunette got out before the woman’s concern for the other boy cut him off.

“Jake!” she gasped as she rushed over to him and examined his face. “What happened?”

Jason scowled.

“I got into a fight at the bar, but I’m okay,” he assured.

The woman could see straight through the lie. “If anyone lays a hand on you, I’ll get my shotgun.”

Jake smiled and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mom.”

Jason rolled his eyes and turned to make his wake back to his bedroom.

“Jason, hi!” Laurie greeted.

The brunette glanced around the room. “Oh, were you speaking to me? I didn’t realize that I was a relevant party in this little pow wow.”

Matt narrowed his eyes at his husband.

“I’m sorry?” Laurie asked, a little perplexed. “Can I have a hug? I missed you!”

Jason pouted before relenting. He embraced the woman. “I missed you too.”

“All my boys are here,” she beamed. “I want to take a lot of pictures. And this house is beautiful! Show me around.”

Matt gave his mother a tour of his new home before leading her back to the kitchen. “We need ribs, chicken, beans, corn on the cob: the works.”

The woman gasped. “You’re lucky that I love you. And when I call you, you better come help if I need it.”

“Will do. Thanks, Ma.” Matt kissed his mother’s cheek and quickly turned in search of his husband. He had no idea why Jason had given his mother so much attitude, but it was unacceptable. He entered his bedroom and immediately heard his husband’s voice emanating from the bathroom.

“Will later on today work for you?” Jason whispered. “Okay good, Matt will be busy and I’ve already made all my necessary phone calls so I’ll be available too…yes, six will be perfect.”

Matt frowned.

“I have to make sure to shave my ass for you,” he giggled. “Okay…see you later. Mwah.”

Jason opened the door to the bathroom and jumped. “Babe, what are you doing?” he asked nervously.

“Who were you just on the phone with?”

“Hmm?” he asked, clearly trying to buy time.

“Who were you just on the phone with?” Matt repeated so sternly that it made his husband jump.

“Don’t yell at me,” Jason whined.

“I’m not yelling. This is yelling! When I hear my husband whispering on the phone saying he needs to shave his ass for someone else, damn right I’m gonna start yelling! Who were you on the phone with?!”

Jason placed his hands on his temples. “Matt, please. My head hurts.”

Matt’s frown immediately disappeared and he ushered his husband to their bed. “Sit down, Pumpkin. Do you feel faint?”

“No, it just hurts. Could you get me some water so I can take my meds?”

“Of course.” Matt kissed Jason’s forehead before hesitantly leaving the room. When he made it to the kitchen, Laurie approached him.

“Honey, what’s wrong? Why were you yelling?”

“Oh, nothing. I was just joking with Jason,” he said as he grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. Matt quickly returned to his bedroom and handed the bottle to his husband.

“Thanks, baby.”

After popping two painkillers into his mouth, Jason open the bottle and took a sip. “Ugh.”

“Do you need anything else?”

“No, babe. Thank you, you’ve been incredible.”

“So, what was-”

“Matt, I need help!” Laurie shouted, a little frantic.

“I’ll be right back,” Matt sighed to his husband before rushing out of the room and into the kitchen where his mother was on the verge of dropping a heavy pot of beans.

“I got it, Ma,” her son said as he quickly grabbed it from her and placed it on the cooling rack.

“Could you start the grill as well?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“The ribs are already out there so once it’s ready, put them on.”

“Okay.”

By the time Matt had finished helping his mother, he’d realized that he hadn’t successfully addressed how his husband had spoken to her or figured out who the hell he’d been conversing with.

The man flipped the steaks before closing the the lid to the grill and entering the house from the terrace. He returned to his bedroom to find it empty.

Matt quickly checked the bathroom and closet to make sure that the man hadn’t fainted again, but those rooms were void of his husband too.

“Jason?” he called upon exiting the room.

“Jason left,” Laurie informed.

“Wh-What? Did he say where he was going?”

“Nope. Just that he’d be back soon.”

Matt checked his phone and when he saw that it was a little after six p.m., he anxiously called his husband. The phone went straight to voicemail and Matt began to panic.

“Mom what was he wearing when he left?”

“Honey, I’m not the fashion police,” his mother giggled as she thought. “Um, I couldn’t see under the trenchcoat.”

“Like the kind known to be what people wear when they have nothing underneath?”

Laurie raised an eyebrow. “Or a detective?”

“Someone who doesn’t want to be seen creeping around town,” he mumbled.

The woman didn’t know where her son was going with this new information, so she returned her attention back to marinating her chicken.

Matt tried to reach his husband again to no avail before sending him a text message.

_You need to reply to this so that I know you’re okay_

When Jason didn’t respond immediately, Matt’s thoughts ranged from infidelity to his husband collapsing in the middle of the street. He frantically called a dozen more times and sent three more demanding messages, feeling sick to his stomach when the man didn’t reply to any of them.

“Do you think I should file a missing person’s report?” Matt asked Laurie.

His mother laughed. “Matty, it’s only been an hour.”

“But what about-” he stopped. The man’s mother wasn’t aware of his husband’s health issues because he didn’t want to worry her over something that could be fixed. “He’s just been acting weird lately and I’m worried.”

“It’s adorable how much you love him.”

 _If he’s cheating on me, oh I’ll show you adorable_ , he thought.

“Alright,” Laurie sighed. “All the hard work is done and tomorrow I’ll finish up with the easy stuff. What time do Vinny, Sophia and Max arrive?”

“I don’t know,” he mumbled.

“Okay…well, goodnight sweetie.” The woman kissed her son’s cheek before retiring to Jason’s bullshit room, which had been temporarily been renamed the guest room for Laurie’s stay.

“Goodnight.”

After his mother left, Matt continued to pace the floor for what felt like an eternity before Jason sent him a text message.

_I’m on my way home now, babe. What’s wrong? Is everything okay?_

“Fuck no!” Matt shouted at his phone. His hands were shaking so severely that he couldn’t form a coherent reply so he called the man. No answer.

The man fought the urge to throw his phone against wall, just as his husband entered their abode wearing a black trenchcoat and carrying a generic tote bag.

Before Jason could even say hello, Matt cut him off.

“Where the fu-” the man got out before remembering his mother. “Go to the patio, now,” he ordered.

His husband was immensely turned on by the demand and immediately obliged. “Yes, daddy,” the brunette giggled.

As soon as they were outside, Matt held nothing back.

“Where the fuck have you been, Jason?!”

“I ran an errand,” he said simply.

“Do you understand how worried sick I’ve been? Why didn’t you call me sooner?!”

“My hands were full,” Jason replied so nonchalantly that it set his husband off even further.

Without warning, Matt lifted his husband’s trenchcoat and discovered that he was only wearing boxers.

“What the fuck! Where are your clothes?!”

“It’s not as big of a deal as you’re making it, oh my God.”

Rage filled tears began to stream down Matt’s cheeks and he was so upset that he couldn’t even look at his husband as he spoke. “Jason, I swear to God,” he sniffled. “If you’re cheating on me, just tell me now.”

A pained expression crossed the brunette’s face. “I can’t believe you think that’d even be a consideration,” he said quietly. “No, Matthew. I’m not cheating on you. And the fact that you even questioned that hurts.”

“Then what are you doing, Jason? Because at the end of the day, you met up with someone who you said you’d shave your ass for. You’re practically naked under that trench coat and you weren’t answering my calls. Shit ain’t adding up.”

“Does it matter? If I’m your husband, you should trust me. I might be a whore, but I’m your whore and your dick is the only one that’s been on my mind for the past four years. Now if you wanna play these little games, that’s fine by me, but I’m going to take a bath and go to bed because I have an anniversary party to attend tomorrow. With or without you.”

Jason said the last part in such perfect old Hollywood, Joan Crawford fashion that Matt was stumped and couldn’t come up with a quick witted response as he watched his husband saunter into their home.

“Ugh!” Matt fumed as he knocked over one of the patio’s lounge chairs. Over the next several minutes, the man wracked his mind over what to say to his husband when he stormed into the house.

When he heard the patio door open, he swiftly turned in preparation to go off again, but groaned in frustration when saw that it was just Jake.

“You alright?”

“Yeah,” he sighed as he took in his friend’s appearance. “You look nice. Got a date?”

“Nah, I’m just going to Liquid.”

“Is Derrick going to be there?”

“I don’t know.”

Matt saw right through the man’s facade. “I’m going with you.”

Jake shrugged. “Alright.”

He entered his home then made his way into the bathroom where Jason was chin deep in bubbles and singing about it.

“I like bubbles, I like bubbles, they are better than Matt’s cuddles,” he teased.

But Matt didn’t respond as he made his way to the closet. The man slid on his favorite boots and leather jacket.

“Where are you going?” Jason asked.

“I have an errand to run,” he retorted, throwing his husband’s own words back at him.

Jason frowned. “Are you mad at me?”

Matt didn’t want to dignify the question with an answer but instead decided to say something he knew would bother the other man.

“I’m going to Liquid with Jake. I’ll be back whenever I get back.”

“Whoa, whoa, wait what,” Jason stammered.

“Don’t wait up,” he chirped before exiting the room.

“Matt, if you leave you aren’t getting any tomorrow!”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Pumpkin, I don’t want any.”

—

Matt and Jake entered the club, made their way to the bar and ordered their first fireball whiskey shots of the night.

“So, are you gonna dance or something?”

“Nah,” Jake replied as he downed his second shot. “I just wanted to get out of the house.”

“Makes sense. I definitely needed to get out,” he groaned.

His friend recognized the tone. “What did Jason do now?”

“I overheard him telling someone that he was going to meet up with them and how he had to shave his ass first.”

Jake gasped. “What the fuck. Did you confront him?”

“I tried but failed like a bitch ass. Give me another,” he demanded the bartender. “Then he actually left the house and was gone for three hours.”

“That’s crazy. You have to put your foot down, bro.”

“I really do.” He downed his next shot.

“Don’t let him get away with shit like that or you’ll be a doormat for the rest of your marriage.”

Matt nodded. “Give me another. Actually, just give us the bottle.”

After emptying the bottle of whiskey over the course of an hour, the drunken friends continued to talk shit about Jason when a voice from over their shoulders caught their attention.

“Jake?” Derrick called.

“Hey, Der-Bearrr,” the man slurred.

“Where have you been?” he demanded. “Why haven’t you come back home?”

“You broke up with meee, remember?”

“And you hit him,” Matt hissed.

“And you are?” Derrick retorted with attitude.

“His best friend and I’m warning you now, if I hear about you hitting him ever again, you and I are going to have a problem,” he said with a few hiccups.

“First of all, fuck you. You have nothing to do with our relationship. Jake is an idiot and if he needs to be smacked around to understand things then so be it.”

Matt replied by punching the man directly in the face. “Leave my friend alone!”

“Holy shit!” Jake gasped.

Seconds later, security made their way over and gripped Matt by the jacket. “You’re out of here!” they said as they led him to the exit, followed by a rambling Jake.

Once tossed out of the club, the friends burst into laughter.

“You knocked him the fuck out,” Jake said with excitement in his voice.

“He was crazy! Nobody will talk about you like thatttt.”

“Thanksss, Skipper.”

“Anythinggg for youuu.”

Jake pulled his childhood friend into a hug. “Let’s go eat, then go feed the motherfucking animals at the zoo, then go to Coney Island. Li-Like I wanna go on an adventureeee. I forget Derrick and you forget Jason for a nighttt.”

“That sounds fucking amazeballssss.”

“Then let’s goooo!”

Jake pulled the other drunkard down the grimy Brooklyn street to get into whatever shenanigans they could find.

—

Early the next morning, Laurie emerged from her room to find Jason seated on the living room couch.

“Good morning, Jason. Happy anniversary.”

“Thanks,” he exhaled quietly.

“Are you okay? Why are you up so early?”

“I’m not okay,” he admitted. “Matt didn’t come home last night.”

“What?” she asked in disbelief. “Did you two get into a fight?”

The brunette nodded.

“Have you called him?”

“Only one hundred times. It started going to voicemail after the third call.”

“You two need to figure something out. It’s your anniversary for Pete’s sake.”

“I know,” he sniffled.

As Laurie made her way over to hug her son-in-law, they heard familiar voices approach the door.

“This can’t be it,” Sophia said in disbelief. “Please tell me that you have the wrong address. This place looks like shit.”

“This is it,” Vinny assured, Italian accent heavier than ever.  “Ed è grande.”

“I don’t understand that Italian mumbo jumbo, old man. Do we, Scout?”

As Vinny burst into laughter, Jason jumped off the couch so swiftly that he nearly fell on his face. He ran to the front door and flung it open.

“Hey guys!”

“Mio figlio!” Vinny greeted as he threw his arms around the man he saw as his own flesh and blood son. “Sono così felice di vederti!”

“I’m happy to see you too!”

“Felice anniversario!”

“Grazie.”

“Can you two please speak English?” Sophia groaned.

“Hey, green eyed monster! And Scouty-Wouty!” Jason greeted his sister and her ten month old son who was strapped to the front of her by the expensive Gucci baby carrier.

The toddler laughed as he began to clap.

“Oh my God, Soph, he’s getting so big.”

“Tell me about it,” she sighed. “He’s starting to walk and talk. When he cries, it’s literally ‘mama mama’.”

“Mama,” Scout repeated.

Jason laughed.

“Yes, baby. I love you,” Sophia cooed before kissing her son’s hair.

Jason’s eyes nearly watered at how much his sister had matured in the past year. He was proud of the great mother and woman she had become.

“Why the fuck are you looking at me like that?” she asked.

“No reasonnnn.”

Scout began to reach for his uncle.

“Aww!” Jason squealed. “Hand him over. You know for your entire trip that him and I will be attached at the hip.”

“Good because I have work to get done,” she said as she began to undo Scout’s straps.

“Has Jacob been helping you with him?”

“Yeah, he’s a great dad whenever he’s not doing football shit. And when I get overwhelmed with school, work and Scout, Mom or Vinny help.”

Jason raised an eyebrow. “What work?”

She placed her baby into her brother’s arms. “Well if you haven’t noticed, our father is in prison thus leaving all of our businesses vulnerable. There have been offers to buy them but-”

“So, sell them,” Jason said nonchalantly. “No sister of mine should have to work and go to school while raising a kid. We have enough money to sustain us, our children and our children’s children for the next hundred years. I swear our net worth should be in the billions by now.”

“Sure it is, but it’s not that simple, J. Your reputation in Atlanta was nonexistent because you moved the first chance you got but I went from Atlanta princess to pregnant teenager with a psychotic father. And I want to demand my respect back by being a fucking shark. The look on their faces when they enter a business meeting and see a bad bitch like me sitting at the head of the table never gets old.”

Jason chuckled. “You’re sick.”

“And I’m proud of it. If you weren’t such a fucking hippie, I’d ask you to help me.”

“Business just isn’t my thing, people get so vicious.”

“And yet you wanna spend money like it grows on trees,” she retorted.

The brunette nodded with a goofy grin. “Isn’t having an inheritance beautiful, Scout?”

Vinny shook his head. “Mio figlio, being rich isn’t all to life. You should have work ethics as well.”

“I do, Vin.”

“Yeah, he knows how to work a pole,” Sophia retorted.

Her brother cackled. “True.”

“Ciao Bella mia!” Vinny greeted Laurie.

The woman greeted Jason’s family before they toured the house.

“Jason, this house is so small. You’re living like a peasant,” Sophia said with a wrinkled nose.

“This wasn’t my first choice but Matt and I love it so hush.”

“Speaking of, where is Matthew?” Vinny asked.

Jason hesitated before answering. “We got into a fight.”

“Che cosa?! But it’s your anniversary!”

“I know,” he sighed.

“What did you fight about?”

“Probably about how bratty Jason is,” Sophia teased.

The brunette frowned. “Not this time.”

“Mio figlio, it’s time to grow up and stop acting so childish.”

“I didn’t even do anything wrong,” Jason whined, growing more emotional with each word.

They heard the door to the living room jiggle, and when Matt rounded the corner followed by Jake, more questions arose than answers.

“Hey…everybody,” Matt greeted, clearly embarrassed.

“Matthew, it’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too, Vinny.”

“Way to ditch my brother on your own anniversary,” Sophia accused.

“I didn’t mean to stay out all night and I’ll apologize to my own husband for that,” he said as he approached Jason. “I’ll admit to being wrong by getting drunk and fucking up all of downtown, but what you did wasn’t cool either.”

“What I did was small and can be overlooked, but staying out all night on the eve of such a special occasion takes the cake.”

“Small and can be overlooked?! You disappeared last night and met up with someone with no clothes on!”

Vinny gasped.

“It was for your anniversary gift!” Jason finally admitted. The brunette reached underneath the couch, pulled out the silver wrapped gift box and removed the lid. “I did some nudey photoshoots and had them put into a book.” He handed his husband the box and Matt saw the cover of his present for the first time.

“Wow,” Matt exhaled.

“Awkward,” Sophia said quietly.

The man flipped to the first page of the glossy book and his heart skipped a beat.

“Whoa, close it, close it,” Sophia demanded. “I like having the ability to see, thank you very much.”

“They get more explicit as you progress but since I’m such a cheating skank, none of that matters right?”

“Jason… I-I-”

“You had so much to say last night, spit it out.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that you’ve been such a fucking brat lately!”

“Well, sorry that I have headaches and feel like whining at times! Sorry that I faint without notice and have to wake up in the hospital where I feel like everyone wants to kill me! I’m pretty sure that I have PTSD, but I’m sorry about that too.”

“Che cosa?” Vinny asked in disbelief. “Fainting? Hospital? What is going on?” he demanded.

“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want anyone to worry, but in the past month I’ve had two hemo… hemorrhagic…I don’t know, some type of stroke.”

“Wait, what?” Sophia asked.

“I have bruising on my brain from the accident and now I’m just suffering from the aftermath. My head feels like it’s being squeezed like it’s a fucking walnut right now but I haven’t taken my meds yet.”

“Dio mio,” Vinny gasped before turning to Matt. “And you knew about this?”

The man reluctantly nodded.

“And yet you still yell at him and call him a brat?! Non posso crederci! What is wrong with you?!”

“Whoa, when did this become attack Matt day?! I do everything that I can for Jason and nothing’s ever good enough!”

“Well, you guys _are_ living like bums,” Sophia added. “I’d be upset too.”

“It’s not about the house, it’s about Jason’s health and you ignoring it is not okay,” Vinny continued.

“Well, no disrespect Vinny, but I’m married to Jason and any problems that we have are between me and him. I don’t need to be ganged up on by you or anyone else.”

“Well, Matthew, if you aren’t protecting him then someone has to!” the elderly man exploded.

“Whoa, this is getting out of hand,” Jason interjected. “Can you guys just get settled in and eat barbecue like this never even happened? I’ll talk to my husband on the patio.”

Vinny mumbled something in Italian as Jason placed Scout in his arms before grabbing Matt’s hand to lead him outside.

As soon as they were on the terrace, Matt pulled away. “So do you think that I’m not there for you?”

“Of course not. You’re an amazing husband but you suggesting that I could’ve possibly cheated on you hurt.”

“But Jason you know for a fact that if the rolls were reversed and I’d done that, you would’ve thrown a fucking tantrum, demanded who I was talking to and probably followed me.”

The brunette nodded.

“And so you have no choice but to forgive me for assuming the worse.”

“I do forgive you.”

“Pumpkin, I just want things to be different. Try not to be so bratty. Like when my mom hugged Jake first, you got snippy with her, it was unnecessary.”

“Well, I can’t control how I feel. If I’m upset, what do you want me to do, hide it?”

“No, but the smallest things get you upset and it wears me out. So, I’m putting my foot down,” he said sternly.

Jason raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Yeah, you’re gonna stop being such a fucking crybaby or I’ll give you something to cry about.”

The brunette’s stomach lurched. “Is it bad that I kinda want to find out what that’d be?”

“Don’t test me.”

Jason gnawed on his bottom lip as he placed his hand behind his back and crossed his fingers. “I won’t.”

“Better not. Now get your ass back inside so I can give you your gift.”

“Eee! Okay!” Jason chirped as he skipped towards the patio door.

When they entered the house, Sophia was monitoring Scout as he walked with the support of the couch. Laurie was setting out the food and Vinny was waiting by the door.

“Va tutto bene?”

“Yeah, everything’s good,” Jason replied. He wrapped his arms around his father figure. “You guys got here before any of the party décor could be set up. But Matt wants to give me my gift now sooooo I’m excited.”

“Stay right there. I hid your present in the one place I knew you’d never look,” Matt said as he descended the stairs before opening the cleaning supply closet. He grabbed the massive, sixty-four ounce wine glass and quickly returned to his husband’s side.

Jason cackled. “Oh my God!”

“Since you so graciously smashed your other one.” Matt handed the brunette his gift and he read the inscription aloud.

_Even If You Drink This Much  
_ _It’ll Be Okay Because  
_ _All Of Me Loves All Of You_

“Aww, babe! The lyrics of our wedding songggg.” Matt nodded and his husband threw his arms around him. “I love it so much.”

“I’m glad. And I have something else for you, but I’ll show you later,” he whispered into his ear.

Jason bit his bottom lip. “But what if I said I wanted it now?”

“You just gotta be patient…it’ll make it that much sweeter.”

The brunette frowned. “But, but-”

“No,” Matt reprimanded as if he was speaking to a toddler. “What did I say about whining.”

Jason was immensely turned on but he did his best to be good. “Okay.”

His husband smiled and stole a kiss from his pouty lips before the doorbell rang.

“The party supplies are here!” the brunette chirped.

Jason had hired a team to transform his home into a soothing Bora Bora themed paradise, telling Matt that bringing back a semblance of their honeymoon was the perfect way to celebrate their anniversary. Twinkle lights and exotic flowers decorated the terrace where the mixologist had set up his station across from the grill.

Despite all of Laurie’s cooking, Jason had even more food catered. And to add to the experience, a Caribbean oriented band played as guests entered the home.

When the party was in full swing with fifty of the couple’s friends and family there, Jason changed into a grass skirt and coconut bra before forcing his husband to hula with him and the island dancers he’d hired.

Jake cackled as he recorded his friend but when Max entered the home, the man nearly dropped his phone as a chill surged through his body.

His ex didn’t speak, but simply gave a short wave as he immediately greeted his best friend and congratulated him on his first year of marriage.

Jake retreated to the bathroom with Matt following quickly behind him.

“You alright?”

Jake nodded.

“So you just look like you’re going to throw up for no reason?”

“Just seeing him…feels like my heart’s being ripped out of my chest all over again,” he exhaled.

“Why don’t you talk to him?”

“And say what? He obviously doesn’t want me and I’m not gonna beg anyone to be with me.”

“I’m not saying that but maybe you can get some answers as to why he was so cold to you. Get some closure, bro. That way you can move on and if you happen to see him, you won’t freak out.”

Jake sighed. “You’re right.”

Matt patted his friend’s shoulder. “If you need me, I’ll be stuffing my face.”

His friend smiled. “Thanks.”

After leaving the bathroom, Matt made true on his word as he piled food a mile high onto his plate. He was in the middle of stuffing his mother’s famous habanero sausage into his mouth when Laurie approached with her camera.

“Matty, say cheese!” She quickly snapped the photo.

“Oh God, Mom don’t post that.”

“I make no promises,” she giggled before rushing off.

Matt shook his head before noticing Jake approach Max. Over the blaring music, he couldn’t make out what they were saying, but he saw his friend whisper something into the other man’s ear.

Max pursed his lips, clearly hesitant, but he nodded and the two of them made their way to the terrace.

“Can I get you a drink or something?” Jake nervously asked, failing to notice that the other man already had a glass in his hand.

Max raised his piña colada. “I already have a drink.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah.”

There was a moment of awkward silence before Max spoke again.

“So, what did you want to converse with me about?”

Jake’s eyebrows furrowed. “Converse?”

Max sighed before choosing a more basic synonym. “Talk.”

The man flushed bright red in embarrassment. “Yeah…um, I just wanted to know how you were doing.”

“I’m fine,” was his cold reply.

“Good to hear.”

“And yourself?”

“I’m confused.”

It was clear that Max didn’t want to ask or care why but he gave in and asked. “And why is that?”

“Because we just ended so abruptly, I was wondering…why?”

“I had business in Atlanta to take care of. My family comes first.”

“Of course, but I told you that I was willing to relocate.”

Max stared down at his expensive Giuseppe shoes. “I thought I made it clear that I didn’t want you to.”

Jake didn’t buy Max’s forced stern tone, but he also didn’t want to embarrass himself by begging for the truth either.

“Well, I really do hope you’re happy. Sorry I wasted your time,” he got out before returning inside of the house while Max stayed on the terrace and ordered a stronger drink.

Matt catch a glimpse of his friend’s expression as he approached. And when he formed his mouth to say something, Jake shook his head and continued on to his room.

A few minutes later, the music was cut. “Alright, alright,” Matt heard Jason say. “I hope you guys are enjoying our new home. I’d like to make an announcement but I need my husband over here with me. Where’s Matt?”

The man’s heart skipped a beat. He had no idea what Jason was up to, but it made him nervous as he made his way from the kitchen into the living room.

“There’s my baby,” the brunette chirped as he swiftly embraced his husband. He led Matt to the spot beside the fireplace and suspiciously handed him a full champagne glass before continuing his toast. “Thank you all for coming. Not only is this our housewarming and anniversary party, but I’d also like to celebrate the fact that we’re officially adopting a baby.”

The announcement was met by hoots, hollers and happiness from everyone, except Matt who watched his husband in disbelief.

“Cheers!” Jason said before taking a sip of champagne. The brunette looked at his husband. “Well, drink up… it’s good news,” he said quietly.

“It’s bullshit.”

“Baby, please don’t ruin the moment. Look how happy everyone is.”

“Well, I’m glad _they’re_ happy,” Matt said as he returned his glass to the mantle and turned to walk away.

Jason grabbed his arm.

“Where are you going?”

“To bed. You obviously don’t need me to help make any decisions. Enjoy the rest of your party.”

Matt continued on towards their bedroom before being stopped by Vinny.

“Matthew, I want to apologize for speaking to you the way that I did earlier.”

“It’s okay, Vinny. I know that Jason is your heart.”

“He is and that is also why I thank you for finally agreeing to have a child. You’ve made him very happy.”

Matt didn’t have a response so he forced himself to smile. “Yeah… I’ll see you later.” The man made his way around Vinny and into his bedroom where he used the shower to wash away all the fatigue of the rough week.

—

“You know you’re more than welcome to stay here,” Jason said as Vinny and Sophia, the last party guests, headed out of the door. “I mean, I had the nursery set up just for Scout.”

His sister scoffed. “This whole house is the size of Scout’s nursery back home.”

“Fine,” Jason sighed. The brunette secretly knew that asking his family to stay would get them to leave even sooner. Afterwards he gifted Laurie with a stay at a luxury hotel and spa coupons. He knew that his husband had something special in store for him and due to his inevitable shouts of ecstasy, he wanted the house to be as empty as possible.

—

Max had escaped notice of the crowd when everyone began to leave as he sat on the kitchen floor with a full bottle of wine.

The man regretted how he’d spoken to Jake and he had to apologize. He had to let him know how he felt.

Max stumbled out of the kitchen and down the stairs in search of his ex. He opened the first door that he saw and climbed into bed next to a sleeping Jake.

The movement startled him awake. “Max?” he gasped. “What are you doing?”

“I just have to tell you the truthhh,” he slurred. “I fucking love you. I never stopped loving you.”

Jake was taken aback. He’d never heard the man drop an f-bomb before and he could hardly process what he was saying.

“I don’t want Danny,” he sniffled. “I only agreed to marry him so that my family would be happy.”

“Y-You’re engaged?” The news crushed the man on the inside.

Max nodded. “On paper he’s the perfect man for me. He knows the business, he’s savvy and since that stuff with Harry Dardo, being gay is more accepted in our worldddd. We could be a power couple or some shit. My mind says to be with him but my heart wants youuuu,” he sniffled. “I love you.”

“Max… I-I- don’t know what to say,” was Jake’s barely audible reply.

“Say you love me too,” he slurred. “And make love to me.”

“You’re engaged.”

Max leaned in and placed a sloppy kiss on his ex’s lips but Jake pulled away.

“And really drunk…I don’t want you to regret saying or doing anything.”

“Well fine,” Max whimpered as he pushed himself off of the bed. “But once I walk out that door, I’m walking back to a life of unhappiness and I’ll never know what could have been. I’m not gonna b-b-beg you,” he wept. The man turned and began to stumble towards the exit.

Before his mind could even react to what he was doing, Jake jumped up and placed a hand on the door to stop the other man. “But I like when you beg.”

Max jumped into Jake’s arms and wrapped his legs around the man’s waist. “Please,” he whispered into Jake’s ear.

Jake locked the door and carried the silver haired man that he’d been dreaming about to his bed. “I missed hating you.”

—

After waving goodbye to his family, Jason skipped to his bedroom, where he found his husband tucked comfortably into bed watching Mob Wives.

The brunette bit his bottom lip as he slid onto the mattress next to Matt before gently kissing his cheek then neck.

“Stop,” he demanded.

Jason ignored the order and continued as he spoke between smooches. “You said…you had…another gift…for…me.”

“I’m not sure if you deserve anything. I mean, since you’ll be adopting on your own, why-”

“Ugh, I’m even going to get into that with you right now,” Jason interjected.

Matt sat up. “First of all, don’t cut me off. Second of all, don’t get an attitude with me,” he said sternly. “This is my fucking life too and I’m not going to let you dictate it anymore.”

Jason did his best to hide how turned on he was by his husband’s new found assertiveness.

“Don’t tell me that you won’t get into some shit that you started,” he ordered, growing more annoyed with each word. “You told our family and friends that we were officially adopting and that’s bullshit. I don’t care how many times we’ve spoken about it, nothing is official. Now my mom is so excited about becoming a fucking grandmother. Are you going to be the one to tell her that it was a lie?”

“But why does it have to be a lie?” Jason whined. “You keep saying ‘okay we’ll talk about it’ but we never do. And if we do, you backtrack or get 'busy with work’ so when I take the initiative to get things going, you get mad. It’s not fair.”

Matt paused as he attempted to word his thoughts in a way that wouldn’t hurt his husband. “Pumpkin, we’ve been married a year today and we’ve been in this house like two seconds. I want us to be secure in our relationship before we bring another life into our lives.”

Jason pouted. “What do you mean secure in our relationship?”

“Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone and you have to have some type of foundation stability and security. And who’s to say that we’ll even be together in a year or two, you never know.”

“Matt! Why would you say that?” he whimpered.

“Because it’s true. You’re the love of my life, but you’ve seen the couples that are married for decades and then divorce.”

The 'D’ word knocked the wind out of Jason. “So you don’t think we’ll be together forever?”

“I hope and pray that we will, but that’s what I’m saying, Jason. If we’re still newlyweds and we’re adding extra factors without being secure in us, then it’s fucked. Look how you just told the entire party that we’re adopting, you didn’t discuss that with me. I don’t care what they think about us or what we do, I’m the one who’s married to you. I’m the one who has to live with the decisions we make, not them.”

“I’m sorry,” the brunette sniffled.

“It’s okay, Pumpkin.”

“No it’s not,” he said as he wiped his eyes. “I’m always fucking up.”

Matt pulled his husband into a kiss. “Just chill out sometimes. We have forever, no need to rush and have a little slobber monster in here stealing your attention away from me.”

Jason laughed. “Now who’s the brat?”

“You’ll always be the brat.”

“True. So…my gift?” he asked as his mind flooded with the sexual possibilities.

“I guess I can give it to you,” Matt said before leaning in towards his husband.

Jason closed his eyes in anticipation but was left confused when he felt Matt reach over him to fish something from underneath the bed.

The man placed the folded quilt into his husband’s lap. The squares that made up the blanket were pictures of the couple enjoying silly moments, their wedding photos and Matt’s art.

“Aw, babe this is so fucking cute! I love this picture so much.”

“You look so cute and I’m clearly wasted.”

Matt laughed. “You were so fucked up that night.”

“Oh my God, Thorgyyy. That show was amazing and she totally wanted to have a threesome with us.”

“I would’ve been down.”

Jason gave his husband a playful shove. “Never,” he said as he continued to look over the blanket and all of their memories. “Ooo, our first vacation together.”

“You look so fucking hot,” Matt said, practically drooling.

Jason scoffed. “I always look hot. See even on this one I’m adorableee.”

“I wouldn’t speak so soon.”

The brunette cackled. “Oh my God, I hate you for putting this one in here!”

“I had to do it. It’s you being the precious toddler that you are.”

Jason sighed. “At least my eyebrows look good.”

“A toddler with fancy brows,” his husband teased.

“Shut up,” the brunette said with another playful shove before spotting an image that made his heart melt. “Aww! Our wedding invitation!”

“Jason Dardo and Matt James Lent request the pleasure of your company at the celebration of their union, ugh I remember this like it was yesterday. So perfect,” he sniffled.

“Do you like it?”

Jason nodded. “I love you,” he said before kissing his husband. Then again and again before straddling him, but Matt quickly rolled the brunette back to his side of the bed.

“Babeee,” Jason whined. “It’s our anniversary.”

“I’m aware of this.”

“So? Let’s do it.”

“I don’t feel like it. Let’s just cuddle and watch Mob Wives.”

“I don’t want to watch a bunch of leathery old women, I wanna fuck,” he demanded.

“You always wanna fuck. I’m starting to think that you’re a sex addict.”

“I probably am but it feels so good. Matt, please.” Jason pulled his husband closer and whimpered against man’s neck. “Please?”

“No,” was his husband’s stern reply.

When Jason began to flail his limbs like a toddler, Matt straddled the brunette and roughly pinned his arms to the bed. “Stop acting like a fucking brat!”

Jason pouted but with the man on top of him, he couldn’t hide just how turned on he was.

Matt could feel his husband’s cock stiffened underneath him and he sighed. “Only you would get hard from this.”

“It’s what you do to me.”

The man shook his head as he reached into the nightstand and pulled out a condom.“Happy anniversary, Pumpkin.”

—

The next morning, an incredibly satisfied Jason hummed as he sauntered into the kitchen. Since his husband had been so good to him, he decided to make the man breakfast.

“Cereal…no. Ooo, pop tarts! Nah, after last night, he deserves a hot meal.” Jason grabbed the pancake mix and the largest bowl he could find before dumping the entire contents of the box into it along with three eggs and an unmeasured amount of water. He grabbed a spoon from the drawer and once he began to stir the combination, some spilt onto the counter.

“Memo to self: hire a maid.”

After he figured that he’d done enough stirring, Jason grabbed a skillet from the cabinet, placed it on the stovetop and turned the corresponding knob to medium. “Because I want medium brown pancakes,” he chuckled to himself before pouring some of the thick, lumpy batter into the lukewarm pan.

After about ten seconds, the brunette became impatient. “How do you know if it’s ready to be flipped?”

“Good morning, darling,” Max groaned as he emerged from downstairs.

Jason was pleasantly surprised to see him. “What are you doing here?”

“I got completely inebriated last night and I pray to every God that you have Advil. Even my hair hurts,” he sighed as he slid onto the barstool.

“I have plenty of Advil but my question to you is where did you sleep?”

Max flushed bright red.

“You did not,” Jason gasped in disbelief. “That’s like fishing for cubic zirconia when you have diamonds at home. Jake is just, ugh,” he said with a cringe.

“You’re right… I don’t know what I was thinking,” he exhaled.

“Are you going to tell Danny?”

Max immediately hid his face behind his hands. “I can’t.”

“Well, was it worth risking your relationship with him for?”

His friend reluctantly nodded causing Jason to sigh.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, he’s not good enough for you. At least Danny knows how to conduct himself.”

Max did his best to suppress his inner turmoil. “I’d better leave before he wakes up then.”

“Oh fuck no,” the brunette protested. “You’re my best friend and nobody will run you out of my house.”

“I get that, but it’d just be really uncomfortable for everyone.”

“It’s only uncomfortable if you make it that way, Maxine.”

Max sighed. “I suppose.”

“Mm hmm. Do you want some pancakes?”

“Is that what that is?”

“Yes, asshole,” he said as he flipped the thick dough.

“No, thank you. But a cup of coffee would be amazing.”

“There’s Columbian in the cupboard.”

Max sighed and pushed himself out of his seat.

“You’re cooking?” Matt asked in a groggy voice as he approached the counter.

“Yes!” Jason chirped. “I’m making you pancakes.”

“I love pancakes…” he said as he examined the brick-like creation in the skillet.

His husband grinned. “I know you do.”

Matt’s eyebrows furrowed when he saw the grey haired man. “Hey, Max. I didn’t realize you were still here.” Seeing Jake’s expression after speaking with him last night, he thought the man would’ve fled the scene.

“I should leave right?” Max asked, hoping that Matt would agree that the situation was uncomfortable.

“Oh no, um… it’s cool,” the man replied, not wanting to be rude.

“Well, after my coffee I’ll probably get out of here.”

“Noooo,” Jason whined. “I wanna go shopping.”

“Okay, darling. Just please don’t whine. My head is starting to throb.”

Jason smiled and grabbed a plate from the cabinet. He turned the skillet upside down causing the pancake to on slap onto the ceramic before placing it in front of his husband. “Bon appetit,” he chirped.

Matt’s stomach lurched. “Thanks, Pumpkin,” he sighed. “Could I have some maple?”

The brunette nodded, skipped to the pantry and grabbed the syrup. He popped the cap and poured some onto his husband’s pancake.

“I need more.”

Jason tipped the syrup bottle once again.

“More.”

“Matt, you don’t need to drown your food in syrup,” his husband reprimanded.

“I wanna make it like IHOP,” he said quickly, hoping that the toppings would salvage the meal. “Like I need strawberries and cool whip too.”

“Well damn.”

“Hook me up!” Matt demanded as he slammed his fist on the counter.

“Rawr. Anything for you,” Jason purred before seductively whipping his hair and sauntering to the refrigerator.

Matt shot Max a distressed look and poking his pancake with the fork. The dough was impenetrable.

 _Oh my God_ , he mouthed.

Max suppressed his laughter.

Jason retrieved the cool whip and handed it to his husband who immediately shook it and tilted the nozzle so that he could pile the cream a mile high on top of his pancake.

“Matt,” his husband groaned as he snatched the can away. “You’ll give yourself diabetes with all of that.”

“Okay, but I still need some strawberries!”

“Ugh, I tried to do something nice for you and it’s not good enough!”

“No, Pumpkin, it’s perfect I swear. I’ll eat it now.”

Jason folded his arms and waited for his husband to take the first bite.

Matt felt as if he was walking the plank as he used his fork to cut into the dough. When he finally managed to break a piece loose, the man reluctantly put it in his mouth and began to chew the tough, dry bread. And when he swallowed, it was so dense that Matt felt as if he was ingesting a rock.

“Do you like itttt?” Jason asked, expression adorably hopeful.

“Oh my God, Pumpkin, are you kidding me? It’s amazing,” he lied smoothly.

“Really?” the brunette beamed.

“Damn right, Chef Boyardee. Give me a kiss.”

Jason leaned over the counter and affectionately placed his lips against his husband’s.

“I love you,” Matt whispered.

“I know you do, now eat!”

The man groaned internally before chipping away another piece.

When Max saw Jake approach, he wanted to climb into the cupboard to hide.

“Good morning, Matt, Jason…Max.” Jake said the last name quietly.

“Sup,” his friend groaned, jaw already tired from chewing.

“Hello,” Jason replied coldly.

“Good morning,” Max greeted, barely audible.

“Did you sleep okay?” Jake asked.

The grey haired man turned crimson. “Of course I did.”

His lover smiled and his best friend gagged.

“I want pancakes too,” said Jake.

Jason slid the bowl across the counter towards the man. “I only cook for my husband.”

“No biggie. Pancakes are easy.” Jake grabbed the mixing spoon and it wouldn’t budge. “What is this? Cement?”

Jason scowled. “Excuse me?”

“The batter is so thick that the spoon is literally stuck. It’s like the sword in the stone,” he cackled.

The brunette stomped his foot. “Well, my husband loves it and that’s all that matters, asshole.”

“He’s only eating it to make you happy. He probably won’t be able to shit for a week.”

Max snorted but quickly covered his mouth with his hand.

Feeling discouraged, Jason turned to his husband. “Babe?”

“You know what, Pumpkin?” Matt asked honestly.

Jason pouted. “What?”

“These two jerks are so jealous of our beautiful relationship that they feel the need to tease you about your cooking. Even though it’s amazing, you only do it for me so only I can speak on the phenomenal experience that is a Jason Lent meal.”

“Aww!”

Jason climbed onto the counter and pulled his husband into a loving embrace. Matt flashed Max the middle finger as the grey haired man suppressed his snickers behind his friend’s back.

He kissed the brunette’s cheek. “Mwah. Now go get dressed, I’ll go shopping with you before work.”

“Okay!” Jason said excitedly. “But eat a little more first.”

Matt forced himself to smile and saw off a piece of pancake that clearly contained an eggshell. He closed his eyes and placed the forkful into his mouth. As he chewed, the shell provided an extra crunch. The man felt as if his teeth would shatter at any moment, but he’d do anything to make his husband happy. Matt swallowed what was in his mouth and repeated the act, breaking off another piece of the pancake before blindly ingesting it.

Jason smiled and kissed Matt’s busy lips. “I’m gonna shower.”

The brunette pushed himself off of the counter. As soon as he was out of sight, Matt spat the contents of his mouth into a napkin.

Jake cackled. “Marriage goals.”

“Happy Jason, happy life.”

“I’ll bet,” his friend sighed as he gazed at the grey haired man.

“I’m gonna go,” Matt said awkwardly.

“Oh no, it’s fine,” Max pleaded. He had no idea what he could say to the man and when Matt waved goodbye, his stomach dropped.

“Are you okay?” Jake asked.

Max shook his head.

“Do you…regret last night?”

“No,” he sniffled. “But nobody can know about it.”

“Okay?” Jake questioned as he tried to make sense of his lover’s words. “So I was just a one night stand?”

“It was a drunken mistake that I’d make over and over and over.”

“Max, you said you loved me and that you’re not even sure about that Danny guy, so why should I be the side bitch? That’s why you don’t want me to move to Atlanta, because your rich mommy and daddy won’t approve of someone like me. If you love me then why should it matter?!”

“It’s not that easy,” he exhaled. “If it was, we’d be on an island somewhere, Darling.”

“Then break it down for me,” the man demanded. “Help me to understand because I’m really confused by you right now.”

“I’m trying,” Max groaned.

“Does your family even know about me?”

The grey haired man reluctantly shook his head.

A surge of pain shot through Jake. “So for three months, where did your family think you were?”

“Just enjoying New York for the summer,” he said honestly. “They didn’t question it because I’ll usually go to Paris, Milan or Barcelona, so they were happy that I stayed in the States.”

“So what do you want to do, Max?”

“I’d love to be with you-”

“Will you tell your family about me?”

“I can't…”

“Then neither can I. I’m not going to be your little secret.”

“Jake, please,” Max sniffled. “It’s not like that.”

“Clearly it is if you don’t want to tell anyone about me! Fuck that shit!”

Jason quickly emerged from his bedroom, securing the towel around his waist as he approached. “First of all, Jake, you’re not going to be yelling in _my_ house. Second of all, you’re not going to be yelling at _my_ best friend in _my_ house.”

“And that’s fine!” the man retorted. “I don’t have to be here!”

Matt rushed into the room as he pulled his robe on. “What’s going on?”

“Skipper, I love you, but if someone is constantly gonna be throwing that this isn’t _my_ house in my face, then I can’t stay here.”

“Well, it _isn’t_ your house and you need to respect that!” Jason shouted.

Without another word, Jake turned on his heel. “I’m out of here.”

“Jake, wait,” Matt said before turning to his husband. “Why are you being so mean?”

“He was yelling at Max!”

“Pumpkin, they’re adults. If they want to yell at each other, that’s their business.”

“Not in my house while I’m trying to be intimate with my husband!”

“I don’t care!” Jake exploded from downstairs. “I will literally sleep on the fucking subway before some spoiled brat tries to berate me again!”

“Oh hell no,” Jason said in disbelief before charging down the stairs.

Matt tried to catch his husband by the arm, but the slender man was too fast. When he went after him, Max stopped him.

“What did Jake mean by he’d rather sleep on the subway? Does he have nowhere to go?”

“No,” Matt sighed.

“What happened to his apartment?”

“He gave it up to move in with some random after you broke his heart.”

Max felt like shit as he buried his face into his palms but Matt had no time to console the man as he rushed after his husband.

“Brat?!” Jason fumed when he found Jake who was now shoving his belongings into a duffle bag. “Who are you calling a brat when you can’t even afford your own house?!”

Jake did his best to ignore the man, but Jason continued to provoke him.

“You’re _so_ stupid! That’s why Max doesn’t want to have anything to do with you! You’d be unpresentable on the streets of Atlanta!” Jason said, clapping his hands after each word until Jake finally responded.

“If everyone in Atlanta is like you then I’m glad I wouldn’t fit in! You’re just so fucking insecure in your own skin that you constantly want to put people down. You’re spoiled and rude as fuck and the only reason that Matt married you was because he felt bad that you were in that car accident. And that’s just the truth!”

“Get the fuck out of my house!” Jason exploded.

Matt finally reached the room just as his friend rushed past him. “I really hope you come to your senses and get out of this forced marriage while you can, Skipper.”

When Jake made it to the front door, Max rushed to stop him. The grey haired man placed a key in his lover’s hand.

“What is this?”

“An apartment that I own on Clinton. I’m never there and you’re more than welcome to stay there.”

Jake scowled before his expression turned soft. “I really hope that you find happiness in your marriage with Danny, but I don’t want nor need your charity. Darling,” he mocked in Max’s proper accent before placing a blunt between his lips and walking away.

—

Jason fixed his mouth to say something, but he simply turned to face his husband when he heard the man enter the room.

“Is that true?” he asked, voice cracking in the perfect spot to make Matt’s heart shatter.

“Pumpkin,” the man began in an exhale. “I love you and-”

“Answer the question,” Jason demanded through sniffles.

“As I said, I love you with all of my fucking heart but you knew that I didn’t believe in marriage from the moment that we met. We were together three years before I could even say the words 'I love you’.”

“Then why did you propose? Because you felt bad?”

Matt groaned. “I proposed because I love you and it’s what you wanted.”

“So you’re admitting that you didn’t want to marry me?”

The was a long, tense pause before Matt spoke again. “I don’t regret marrying you and that’s all that should matter.”

“It matters that you feel like I twisted your arm into marrying me!”

“I didn’t even say that!”

“You may as well have since you’re talking shit about our marriage to Jake of all people, ugh! I feel like I’m gonna be sick.”

“All I said was that I never wanted to be married but when I saw you in the hospital…I wanted to give you the world but all you wanted was to be married. After all we’d been through together, it was the least I could do. But as I’ve grown used to-”

Word by word, piece by piece, Jason felt his heart being ripped apart. “So marrying me was a favor?”

“Pumpkin-”

“No, Matt,” he wept. “You never wanted to be married, you never wanted kids in the first place. It all makes sense to me now…and I’ll relieve you of those burdens.” At this point, the brunette was weeping so hard that Matt could barely understand what he was saying.

“Jason, you’re being ridiculous.”

“Good to know! You won’t have to worry about that anymore either!” Jason spat through tears before storming pass his husband, but Matt grabbed his arm to stop him.

“Don’t fucking touch me!” the brunette demanded, snatching away from the man so hard that he nearly fell to the floor. “You’re not allowed to touch me ever again!”

“You’ll regret saying that when you want sex in a few minutes,” Matt attempted to joke despite panicking that his words had done irreparable damage to his relationship.

“I don’t want sex with you anymore,” Jason sobbed. “I want to be with someone who actually wants to be with me because they want to and not because they feel bad!”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. If you don’t think I love you, you’re clinically insane!”

“I’m going back to Atlanta with Vinny,” he whimpered.

An intense, heated pain shot through Matt’s body. “Wha-What?”

“I’m going home.”

Jason slowly took the stairs to his bedroom and began to pack.

Matt’s natural reaction was to chase after his husband and beg him to stay, but as his assertive notions surged through him and he processed what was being said to him. Feeling more hurt than anything, he retaliated.

“Good, I’m glad! It’ll be a relief to be away from the oldest toddler in the fucking world!”

There was a few minutes of loud banging, before Matt remembered that he had to go to work. He reluctantly took the stairs to his bedroom, but the door to the bathroom, which also held the closet, was locked.

His husband’s loud crying threw his agitation for a loop.

“Jason…can we just talk?”

The man’s only response was broken sobs.

“Well, if you don’t want to talk right now, at least let me get my stuff for work.”

“Jason!” Sophia called from the living room when she and Vinny entered.

 _Fuck, this is just what I need right now_ , Matt thought to himself.

“I have a surprise for youuuu,” the green eyed girl chirped.

The man wanted to hide, but when a fully clothed, puffy faced Jason finally emerged from the bathroom with two suitcases Matt groaned.

“Well, this must be the biggest stunt to date,” he mumbled.

“Vinny,” Jason whimpered as he rushed into the living room.

“Mio figlio! Cosa c'è di sbagliato?”

“Matt told me that he never wanted to be married to me,” he sobbed.

“What?!” Vinny and Sophia gasped in unison.

“I just can’t be here anymore. I wanna go home.”

“Where’s Matt?” Sophia asked.

“In the room I guess.”

“Hold Scout.”

Matt quickly locked the door to the bathroom and changed into his work clothes just as a knock sounded against the oak.

“Matt?” Sophia called, voice stern.

“Look, I’m not going to have you and Vinny gang up on me because of something so minute as this. Jason knew my beliefs before and I tried to tell him that things have changed but he doesn’t wanna hear it. So if he wants to throw a tantrum then he can. What else is new? It’s just like the time I didn’t tell him that he wasn’t fat fast enough or the time that I wanted to see Suicide Squad while he wanted to see Zootopia. No matter what happens in this relationship, I’m always the bad guy and I’m over it.”

“We all know that Jason is a brat, but did you or did you not tell him that you never wanted to be married?”

“I did but it wasn’t-”

“Okay, that’s all I needed to know.”

Matt grew more and more annoyed as his side of the story was discarded. He knew that the group was gathered in the living room, and being the only real exit, he was reluctant to leave. But he manned up and left the bathroom.

When he entered the living room, Vinny was on the couch, consoling the brunette. While Sophia was on the phone, obviously making flight arrangements.

Figuring the dramatic display would be over any second now, Matt rolled his eyes. But when his husband began to hyperventilate, he paused.

“Jason, will you please just talk to me? Had I known this would’ve hurt-”

“I think you’ve done enough talking, Matthew,” Vinny interjected.

“Vinny, once again, with all due respect, I don’t want you involved in my marital conversations.”

“Well you should’ve thought about that before you made it known that your marriage was a favor,” Sophia retorted. “Should Jason pay you back now or later?”

“Oh my God!” Matt groaned in exasperation. “You guys are only making this worse.”

“No, you made it worse when you said that to him. I bought this stupid mechanical baby so that you guys could practice before you adopted but I guess you never wanted kids either.”

“I orginally didn’t and Jason knows this! But we’re waiting to make sure that we’re stable eno-”

“Whatever,” Sophia said dismissively.

“Jason, please,” Matt practically begged. “If you care about our marriage and what I have to say to try to fix it, then you’d talk to me outside in private right now.”

Jason sniffled as he hesitantly pushed himself off of the couch.

“Sei sicuro?” Vinny asked.

The brunette nodded and made his way to the patio quickly followed by his husband who immediately began to defend himself.

“Jason, I know that hearing something like that must’ve hurt like hell and I’ll never forgive myself for it. Although I didn’t want to, I _did_ marry you and I’ve been thankful for you everyday since our wedding.”

Jason’s demeanor was unwavering as he continued to cry.

“Pumpkin,” Matt pleaded as he grabbed Jason’s hands and sunk to his knees. “I’ll get on my fucking knees to tell you that just because I didn’t want to be married, doesn’t mean I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life with you. A marriage license is a piece of paper that doesn’t mean shit without the bond that we have.”

The brunette slowly pulled his hands away.

“Do you forgive me?” his husband asked, tone filled with hope.

“I just want to go home,” he sniffled.

Matt tried to suppress his heartache. “If that’s what you need to do to get your head clear, then I fully support that.” He returned to his feet and attempted to hug his husband but Jason shook his head.

“I can’t.”

It was like a dagger to Matt’s heart. He  tried to find his voice, but it came out  weaker than he’d hoped. “Well, I hope you have a safe trip. I love you.”

Without a response or even a glance, Jason turned on his heel and returned inside the house.

—

Matt sighed when he finally entered the barbershop that he’d been working at since he moved to Brooklyn. He absentmindedly cut each customer’s hair and had to constantly apologize to everyone around him for his lack of energy.

“I know you’re already super chill, but your batteries seem even more dead today,” his boss commented.

“Sorry, I’m just having a rough day.”

“Uh oh, what did Jason do now?”

“Nothing,” Matt sighed. “It was my fault.”

“Do you need to take the rest of the day off?”

“No,” he assured. “I need a distraction.”

“Well if you need anything, let me know.” The man gave him a pat on the back before walking away.

After work, Matt took the long way home as he checked his phone in hopes that his husband had called or messaged him. There was nothing, so he did the honors; calling Jason only to have his call go straight to voicemail. Matt left a message.

“Hey, Pumpkin, just calling to check in on you. I hope your plane landed safely, um…so yeah. Call me when you can. I love you,” he said before hanging up.

As the week went on, Matt called his husband three times a day and had to leave voicemails three times a day. When he began to worry if everything was alright, he was able to reach Sophia who insisted that her brother wasn’t able to come to the phone before hanging up in Matt’s face.

The man eventually fell into his old routine of picking up a dozen donuts from Sal’s before going home and binge watching Orange is the New Black.

When the doorbell rang, Matt just knew it was the pizza man so he quickly pushed himself off of the couch and rushed to the door. When he opened it, a man in a blue cap greeted him.

“Telegram for Matt,” he said as he handed him the large orange envelope.

Matt’s eyebrows furrowed. “Telegram? That’s still a thing?”

“Nope, you’ve actually been served,” he said before turning on his heel and rushing away.

Matt frowned and closed the door. He ripped open the envelope, pulled out the stack of papers and read the header of the first page.

“Petition for divorce,” he said weakly before collapsing to the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

_“Petition for divorce,” he said weakly before collapsing to the floor._

—

Matt was dazed and confused when he lifted his heavy eyelids only to find himself on the cold hardfloor. The last thing he remembered was not being able to breathe and lightheadedness taking over. Wincing at the pain on the back of his head as he sat up, he figured that he must’ve fainted, but when he saw the stack of papers next to the orange envelope, he encouraged the weak feeling all over again. With shaking hands, Matt grabbed the stack.

“No, no, no, no,” he mumbled repeatedly as he read the divorce papers over and over. “Irreconcilable differences…how? What? No. This must be a joke…this has to be a joke…please be a joke.”

The man stared at the pages so long and hard that the words began to mix, jumble and look like a foreign language to him. A numbing heat surged through his body causing him to feel nothing but the sting of his eyes as tears burst out of them.

His severe trembling made it nearly impossible to pick up the phone and call Jason but the man was determined. He wouldn’t lose his husband that easily.

Matt selected the first contact on his speed dial and placed his phone to his ear. The man was greeted by an automated voice.

_I’m sorry but the number you’ve reached has been disconnected._

Matt began to hyperventilate as flashbacks of sitting in a hospital waiting room and listening to Jason’s voicemail repeatedly, unsure if he’d lose his love or not, flooded his mind.

The man was confused. The man was numb. The man was broken. For this time, he’d lost his Jason.

—

When Matt called his mother, the woman nearly fainted herself as she left work early and caught the first flight that she could back to Brooklyn.

Laurie found her son on the couch in the fetal position surrounded by beer bottles and week old pizza. His eyes were bloodshot, his facial hair was scruffy and he couldn’t remember the last time that he’d showered.

“Oh Matty,” she said sympathetically as she pulled him into her arms. “What happened?”

“Jake and I got drunk at the bar and I told him how in the beginning of my relationship with Jason, I never wanted to marry him and Jake told Jason that and the shit hit the fan. I ruined my marriage in ten seconds. That’s what happened,” he replied in a dead voice. “I got these divorce papers and I have no idea what I’m supposed to do with them.”

His mother dusted the Dorito crumbs off of the pages and began to decipher the information. “Jason says he wants a divorce due to irreconcilable differences. Meaning you two just can’t agree on major life decisions. He doesn’t want anything from you, but he says you can keep this house, the car and any other assets accumulated during the relationship. He’ll also give you spousal support for the same amount of time that you were married totaling ten million dollars,” she read in disbelief.

“I don’t want his fucking money,” Matt said, almost disgusted. “I don’t want the money, I don’t want this house and that car doesn’t mean shit to me. I just want Gran’s ring back.”

“Matty, I know you’re upset and it makes me upset to see you like this, but I’d take the money. It’s the least he can do for blindsiding you with all of this.”

“If he can put a price on our relationship just like that, then maybe I wasn’t as important to him as I thought.”

“Get the money and put it into a savings account or a CD where it can draw interest. Donate it to charity, I don’t know, I just feel like he owes you every penny.”

“All I want is Gran’s ring,” Matt said stoically.

Laurie sighed. “Alright. Call your attorney.”

“I will,” he said unconvincingly.

“Does Jake know about all this?”

“Yeah…he cried on the phone over how sorry he was for about an hour. He’s supposed to come over to clean the house today.”

“Good. What he did wasn’t okay.”

Before Matt could reply, his phone began to ring with Jake’s assigned ringtone. “Speak of the devil,” he sighed before answering. “Hello?”

“Do me a favor and go to your patio.”

“Why?”

“It’s a surprise!”

“Ugh,” Matt exhaled as he reluctantly pushed himself off of the couch. Once he made his way to the terrace, he couldn’t help but smile. “What the hell, Jake.”

He saw the man at the bottom of the billboard across the street with Jake’s face plastered on it. His pout was apologetic and the words ‘Matt, I’m sorry. Please forgive me’ were printed on the bottom.

“You’re insane.”

“Do you like it?”

“Yeah, it looks cool.”

“It’ll be up for three weeks or until you forgive me.”

Matt sighed. “Get your ass up here.”

Jake rushed to the front door and when he saw his childhood friend, immediately broke down as they shared an embrace.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” he mumbled repeatedly.

“Jake, why did you say that to Jason in the first place?” Laurie asked when he finally calmed down enough to give a coherent response.

“When Matt and I were at the bar, he put Derrick in his place. And with all that he does for me, I wanted to help him too. We had confided in each other aggravating moments in our relationships. Bottomline: Jason is a fucking brat. Even things that I saw with my own eyes, like Matt carrying all the luggage when they’d go places or bringing in all the groceries. Matt ordering all of the pizza and doing all the cleaning, and I could tell that he was really stressed out at times, but you know Skipper never complains cause he’s just so chill about everything. So in the heat of the moment, I felt like I was protecting him; taking Jason off his high horse, I guess.”

“Jake,” Laurie sighed disapprovingly.

“I know, I know. In retrospect, I regret saying anything because I’d never want to hurt Skipper like that. I really want to go to Atlanta, find Jason and fix it.”

Matt turned to look at his friend. “You’d do that?” he asked quietly.

“In a heartbeat,” Jake sniffled. “And I’d take out billboards there too.”

The man’s soft smile faded just as quickly as it appeared.

“I know that Jake messed up, but really, there’s only so much he can be blamed for,” Laurie added. “Jason has a right to be upset, but his reaction was very extreme for someone who knew that you didn’t believe in marriage from the beginning.”

“Right!” Jake exclaimed. “I’ll take the blame for my part but for him to just file for divorce so abruptly is just crazy.”

“Can we talk about something else?” Matt asked. “I get it, everyone fucked up in their own little way and now my husband doesn’t want me anymore. It’s all I think about and now it’s all I hear. Just stop!”

“Matty, we’re only trying to be supportive,” his mother reprimanded.

“I don’t need support!” Matt retorted. “I need to just accept that I’m a big fuck up and-” the man stopped when his voice got caught in his throat. “I-I- just go from hating him to hating myself for losing him to just… I don’t know,” he wept as his mother pulled him into her arms.

“Matty, just be open and honest with yourself. Stay positive.”

“I can’t stay positive. Like, there’s no pretty way to tell you that I want to die.” The man’s crying verged on hysterical.

“Shhhh, honey,” Laurie cooed. “It’s okay.”

“St-st-stop saying it’s okay cau-cause it’s n-n-not.”

“I know exactly how you’re feeling. Like when I lost your father…it’s going to be so hard and you’ll feel like it’s the end of the world and you might not get out of bed some days and that’s okay. Cry when you need to. Curse at his picture when you need to. It’s going to suck for a really long time. It really will,” she said honestly. “But take each day, or hour if you have to, and focus on getting through that and it’ll become easier and easier as time progresses. I know that all sounds like bullshit now but you’ll see.” Laurie wiped her eyes and kissed her son’s cheek before patting his back. “My big boy. You’ll be alright.”

“I say we take a road trip to Atlanta and don’t come back until we have Jason with us,” Jake suggested.

“I say you clean up these pizza boxes,” Laurie retorted with a chuckle.

“Hey, I don’t think my agent would like that.”

The woman raised her eyebrows. “What agent?”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you?” he asked in dramatic fashion. “So, I was walking through Central park and I was stopped by this woman who said she worked for IMG models and she thought I had 'the look’. She literally dragged me into her office, made me walk and try on some clothes and before I knew it, I was signed.”

“Jake, that’s incredible!”

“Mm hm and they gave me a fat ass advance. One third of which went to Skipper’s billboard.”

“Billboard?” Laurie asked.

“Go to the terrace.”

The woman pushed herself off of the couch and towards the other room.

“I have a photoshoot later today. Wanna go?”

Matt shook his head.

“Are you sureee? There’s always free food.”

“No thanks.”

“Alright,” he sighed as he grabbed the first pizza box and stuffed it into the trash.

“Aw, Jake, that billboard is sweet,” Laurie said when she returned to the room. “Clean up time?”

“Yep. Blast Skipper with the water hose,” he teased.

“Leave him alone,” his mother figure reprimanded. “I’m going to start the laundry.”

“No!” Matt exploded before catching himself. “I’ll do my own laundry.”

“Okay,” Laurie replied, a little defensive.

“Thank you guys for helping me out,” he said apologetically.

“That’s what family is for,” Jake assured.

Matt nodded again before rushing into his bedroom then the closet, locking the door behind him. He grabbed the black t-shirt from the hamper that held the dirty laundry and placed it against his nose. The man took a deep inhale and became intoxicated on his husband’s scent. Memories of love and wild nights flooded his mind as he sank to the floor and wept.

—

Following his mother’s advice, Matt took each hour as it came, often times having to focus on something as simple as breathing. But also like his mother promised, as each day progressed, things became easier, finally providing Matt with the courage to meet up with his lawyer.

“So if you agree with his terms, then once you sign a few papers, that’ll be it,” she informed.

“What if I want to try and work it out?” he asked quietly.

“Then you’d have to contact your spouse and come to some type of an agreement.”

“What if my contact attempts fail and I can’t reach him?”

His attorney shrugged. “Then there’s not much you can do. You can’t force someone to be with you, honey.”

The man nodded to camouflage the tears that were welling up in his eyes. “I just want him to be happy,” he sniffled as he grabbed the pen and signed on the line.

“Once this is submitted and the court processes it, the divorce will be official.”

“So fast,” he exhaled.

“Well since you’re not splitting the estate and you don’t want anything from him, it just makes this the quickest and cleanest separation that I’ve ever dealt with.”

“I want my grandmother’s ring back.”

“The request for the ring is in the paperwork that you just signed. He has thirty days to get it returned to you or legal actions can be taken.”

“I don’t want it to get ugly or anything.”

“I’m sure it won’t. If he was willing to give you ten million dollars and the house, then returning the ring shouldn’t be an issue.”

Matt nodded. “The house still has both of our names on the deed, but I moved back into my old apartment. I-I- just can’t stay in that house.”

“Understandable. Just take care of yourself and have a little fun while you’re at it,” his attorney suggested.

“Fun,” the man sighed as he tried to recall the definition of the term.

—

Matt tossed marshmallows at the television as he watched RuPaul’s Drag Race.

“Go home Roxxxy,” he slurred.

“Matt, come on,” Jake pleaded. “You’ve been on this couch for two weeks surviving off of weed, vodka and pizza crust. You need to get off of this dirty sectional and out of this apartment.”

“And do what? There’s nothing for me out there.”

“Come to my photoshoot! I’m doing a Calvin Klein ad today.”

“And why would I want to see you in your underwear?”

“One, because I look good. And two, because I want you to get a taste of fresh air. Remember what that’s like?”

“I don’t care what it’s like,” he groaned in exasperation.

“Skipper,” Jake said sharply. “You’re gonna wake up one day and be six hundred pounds while Jason is out there living his life.”

“Well Jason deserves to live his life and be happy!”

“So do you! Ugh, you’re so- you know what? You’re coming with me!”

Weak by intoxication and malnutrition, Matt’s attempts to defend himself were useless as his friend practically threw him over his shoulder and carried him out of the house.

—

“You could’ve at least let me shower first,” Matt whispered to his friend as they entered the studio.

“You don’t smell that bad,” Jake assured.

They rounded the corner and spotted several people scurrying around in preparation for the shoot.

“Jake, my darling!” a small green haired man squealed before rushing over to embrace him.

“Hey, Mathu. How are you?”

“Fabulous! Are you ready to strip down for me?”

“Aren’t I always?”

The man’s laughter was musical. “And who is this gorgeous specimen?” he asked, placing his finger to his chin as he gave Matt the once over.

“This is my friend Matt. He’s just here to see how the magic behind the scenes work.”

Mathu threw his arms around Matt’s neck. “And it’s sure to be magical,” he whispered seductively. “I’d like to get _you_ behind my camera.”

Matt flushed bright crimson. “I’m married-” he replied instantly before catching himself. The weight of the ring he still sported on his left hand felt like lead. He swallowed his spit. “Um…I mean…I was,” he quietly.

“Well that’s okay, honey bun. I’ll be Mrs. Matt number two.”

The man couldn’t help but smile.

“Jake, get to hair and makeup. Mr. Matt, make yourself at home. Grab a snack, get naked, whatever you’d like.”

“I’d love some food, but I’ll pass on getting naked.”

Mathu shook his head. “Damn shame. Alright, let’s get this show on the road!”

After Mathu rushed off, Matt watched as Jake was ushered to a seat in the corner. He suppressed his laughter when his friend was stripped down and slathered with baby oil.

“Ugh, I feel like an STD personified,” Jake declared.

“Oh, that’s something you should know all about,” Mathu teased.

“Yeah because I get them from you,” Jake retorted.

Mathu’s laughter boomed through the studio.

After Jake’s hair was slicked back with grease and dark eyeliner was smudged  underneath his eyes to create an edgy look, he was ready to advertise the classic boxer briefs.

“How do I look?” he asked Matt.

“You look like you’re ready to be fried.”

Jake laughed. “Pretty much.”

“Should I stuff a sock in there to make it more believable?” Mathu teased again.

“Oh, not even!”

Matt cackled.

“Okay, my darling find your marker and let’s make magic.”

Jake made his way over in front of the white screen setup at the background for the photoshoot.

“Ok my love, the photos will be in black and white so give stoic and high fashion.”

“Gotcha,” Jake said with a nod before slightly hunching over in the way that the professional models did. Mathu caught the moment on camera with a bright flash and loud shutter that made Matt jump. But the man quickly got used to it as he watched his friend switch from pose to pose. His movements were fluid, effortless and it seemed as if he’d been doing it for years.

Matt was blown away. “Holy shit, Jake,” he mumbled, unaware that other people could hear him.

“Isn’t he brilliant?” Mathu asked. “Now give me sultry eyes, darling. Impregnate me.”

Jake made his mouth slightly pouty as he hooked his thumb into the hem of his boxers and based on Mathu’s squeals, Matt thought the man would pass out.

“Yes! Beautiful! Stunning! Yes! Yes! Ugh, I’m about to crownnn! Ahhh!”

Matt covered his mouth to contain his laughter.

“He’s quite a character isn’t he?” a deep, husky voice asked in an accent that Matt couldn’t place.

He quickly turned around and saw another man who was also greased and cladded in only his Calvin Klein underwear. The stranger was so chiseled and breathtakingly beautiful that Matt stumbled and had to catch the wall to steady himself.

“Oh no, did I frighten you?” Even his frown was perfect. “I’m sorry.”

Matt had to shake his head to break the trance that the grey eyed man seemed to have on him. “Um, no,” he stammered. “I just lost my balance.”

“Oh,” the man said with a ultra white smile before running his hand through his short, messy black hair. “If you’re going to get photographed today, you better get into hair and makeup,” he urged. “The oil doesn’t feel too icky.”

“I’m not a model,” Matt rasped between a cough and a snort.

The man’s eyes grew wide in disbelief. “You could be! You have an incredible face.”

Matt could feel the sting of his skin as the bright scarlet color washed over him. “Thank you,” he said quietly.

The man chirped something in a language he didn’t recognize at all.

“What language is that?”

“Greek,” he said proudly. “I am originally from Crete.”

For some reason, this made the man even more attractive to Matt.

The stranger extended his hand. “My name is Apollo. I know, I know it’s cheesy since I am Greek but my parents really like the mythology.”

“No, it’s not cheesy. I like it,” Matt got out before internally kicking himself. “Um, I mean, it’s cool.”

Apollo thanked him in his native tongue before his eyebrows furrowed. “What is your name?”

“I’m Matt,” he said shyly.

Apollo grinned. “I like it.”

 _If I turn any redder, I’m sure he’ll be able to hear my skin sizzle_ , the man thought.

“And you’re done, sweetheart,” Mathu chirped in the background. “It was a very happy ending. I need my Apollo!”

“It was such a pleasure to meet you,” he said to Matt with a wink and a heartwarming smile.

“You too,” the man replied, voice cracking right at the end. Matt cursed himself internally before watching Apollo cross the room towards the photo setup.

Jake high fived his fellow model when they passed each other as he approached Matt. “How’d I do?” he asked cheekily.

“It was awesome. Who knew you actually had talent for something.”

“Shut up. Why are you so damn red?”

“I don’t know,” he lied.

“Alright, weirdo. Are you ready to go?”

“Um…hold on,” Matt mumbled.

Jake raised an eyebrow before following Matt’s gaze to Apollo as he took his turn modeling the underwear. He instantly recognized the look on his friend’s face.

“Oh my God, you got the hots for Apollo,” he whispered.

Matt quickly turned to face his friend. “Not even,” he hissed.

“Whatttt? There’s nothing wrong with that. He’s hot and the whole accent thing is sexy as fuck.”

“I guess.”

Jake shot him a look. “Mmkay. If you wanna play hard to get that’s on you, but he’s fresh off the Greek bus and won’t be available for long.”

“Is he gay?” Matt asked, barely audible.

“I think he’s bi, but hey, that’s hot too.”

“What’s all this whispering on my set?” Mathu demanded.

“I was just telling Matt about the IMG party tonight.”

“Oo la la, are you going, Mr. Matt?”

“Um..” he mumbled as he glanced at Apollo. The man flashed him a soft smile. “Um… yeah I guess I could go.”

“Yay!” the photographer squealed.

“We need to find you a new outfit,” Jake added. “Important people will be there and you can’t show up looking like a hobo.”

Mathu let out a dramatic gasp. “You don’t have anything to wear?! Let me take your clothes off and redress you!”

Matt let out a chuckle. “I don’t know.”

“In addition to being an amazing photographer, Mathu is a phenomenal stylist,” Apollo vouched. “He’ll make you look even more incredible…if that’s possible.”

Before he could go red again, Matt obliged to Mathu’s request. “I’d be honored to be undressed and redressed by you.”

“Oh, stop my heartttt,” he said dramatically. “That’s all I needed to hear! Apollo, we’re done baby.”

“Oh no,” Matt protested. “Please finish your shoot.”

“Apollo is a pro and we nailed it on the first shot. I only keep him out here longer because I’m a pervert who loves seeing him in his underwear. The outline of your dick is amazing, my dear,” he told the grey eyed man as he stroked his chiseled face.

 _Don’t look at his crotch. Don’t look at his crotch_ , Matt repeated to himself. But even if he wanted to catch a glimpse, he didn’t have a chance as Mathu grabbed his wrist and pulled him along.

—

“Marc Jacobs would look gorgeous on you,” Mathu declared as he began to snatch designer garments off of the rack and toss them into Matt’s arms. “Oh, but so would Armani. Ooo, Versace! Go try them on, now!”

“Well, um, I didn’t shower before I came here,” he said honestly. “I don’t want to soil anything.”

“Honey, the only thing being soiled around here is my panties as I flood my basement from looking at your face.”

Matt didn’t have a response to the statement. “Thank you? I think…”

“Now go try on the clothes, my dear! You are Cinderella and I am your fairy gaymother!”

After playing dress up for about an hour, Mathu declared that Matt was his new muse and wouldn’t let the man out of his sight. He insisted that Matt get prepared and shower at the studio before having his hair and clothing styled like a true model.

“Please just let me take one photo,” Mathu pleaded as he pouted.

Matt sighed. “Sure.”

The green haired man squealed and pulled his subject in front of the soft water themed background.

“Um, what should I do? Do you want me to smile or-”

“Do whatever feels natural, my love.”

Matt forced himself to smile.

“Oh, Mr. Matt that’s not natural at all. I can see the tension around your mouth and the pain in your eyes.”

“Sorry,” he said quietly.

“Don’t be. Tell me what makes you happy.”

Matt thought for a minute. “Um…I-” his eyebrows furrowed before they became tense.

“Talk to me,” Mathu urged.

“My husband…ex-husband…is the first thing I thought about but I’m trying to suppress that.”

“Suppressing it isn’t going to do you any good. Embrace that he makes you happy.”

“But why would I embrace being happy over someone that I can’t have?”

“Because it’s life! It’s expression! Emotions, feelings, movement, art!”

Matt had no idea what the man was talking about, but he nodded anyway.

“So when you think about your ex-husband, does it make you smile?”

“It used to, but now all I do is cry,” he admitted.

“Well then that’s not what makes you happy!”

“Okay, fine!” Matt exploded in exasperation. “There is nothing else that I can think of. He makes me happy and sad and everything in between…and…and I never thought we’d end like this,” he sniffled.

Matt tried to hold back his tears but the green haired man immediately protested.

“Let it out! Cry! Emotions! Expression!”

Matt didn’t even need the extra encouragements of the photographer, once his mind became consumed by feelings of inadequacy and heartache, the man nearly broke down. He never cried in front of strangers but he was too overwhelmed to be embarrassed.

“Now take whatever you’re feeling, and I can tell that you have a lot of it built up, and just scream to release it. I need a loud primitive scream.”

Matt didn’t stop to think about how odd the request was but instead obliged and groaned as loud as he could.

“Louder!” Mathu demanded.

“Ughhh!” he let out between broken sobs.

“Louder! Louder!”

Finally holding nothing back, Matt began to scream at the top of his lungs. Releasing an insurmountable amount of  tension he’d suppressed.

“Never let anyone make you feel like you aren’t worthy! Scream again!”

Matt did and slowly but surely he began to feel better.

“As God as your witness, you’re not gonna let them lick you!” Mathu declared, quoting Scarlett O'Hara. “As God as your witness, you’ll never let anyone take that control away from you and you’ll never feel unworthy again!”

Matt took a deep breath and shook off whatever remnants of Jason related stress he had pent up inside of him.  

“I can literally see the weight being lifted off of your shoulders,” the green haired man said with a smile. “Your entire demeanour has changed. Damn, I should’ve been a therapist.”

He smiled as he wiped his eyes. “Yeah.” The man decided to not dwell on the fact that his husband had cut him out of his life so abruptly, but instead focus on the fact that he was a good guy and he deserved better.

“But you look stunning right now. Do me a favor, close your eyes and on the count of three, open them as you think of what makes you happy.”

Matt slowly lower his lids.

“One…two…three.”

He opened them and Mathu captured the moment on film.

“Oh my God, your eyes are so striking against the background!”

Matt blushed. “Thank you. I just felt so much turmoil over something that I couldn’t control. I was confused and I didn’t understand.”

“Do you understand now?”

He nodded.

“You’re a star, baby.”

Matt smiled.

“So what was your happy thought?”

“Freedom,” he exhaled.

“That’s beautiful. So are you gonna be my new model?”

“Nah, I’d rather stay behind the camera.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m actually a photographer.”

“Really?!”

“Well, an amateur photographer that does weddings and family portraits, but never anything like this.”

“Oh honey, I could teach you a few… tricks. I’ve been looking for a protégé for a while now.”

Matt’s face lit up. “I’d actually really like that.”

“Then it’s done! We’ll work late nights and longgggggg hours,” he purred as he stroked his camera.

He chuckled. “Sounds very professional.”

“Oh absofuckinglutely, I’m a hard working girl. So, for my own personal satisfaction, will you pose in just a few more outfits? I want to be able to brag that I’ve photographed some of the most beautiful men in Brooklyn.”

Matt laughed. “You might want to continue your search then.”

“Nonsense!”

“But since you’re so awesome, I will definitely pose in some more outfits for you.”

“Yaaaaas. Give me something to think about late at night.”

—

“This is orgasmic!” Mathu squealed. “I just love that your eyes have this natural sadness behind them.”

  


“My ex calls them bedroom eyes,” Matt said quietly.

“Oh, you could definitely get me _into_ the bedroom with those eyes.”

Matt giggled.

“If your day job doesn’t work out, there’s always a spot in my studio for you.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Stop coming for my gig!” Jake cackled after catching the last bit of their conversation. He was freshly showered and dressed in new designer clothes.

“Oh, Jake there’s plenty of room in the modeling world and in my bed for the both of you.”

“There better be.”

“Alright, my darlings,” Mathu sighed before kissing the cheeks of both men. “Guests will start arriving any minute now and I have to prepare for my grand entrance. Ciao!” he said before skipping off.

—

As influential guests, models and celebrities poured into Mathu’s party. Jake introduced his friend to amazing connections and staples in the fashion world, but the man seemed to be distracted.

“It was so amazing to see you again, Miss Fame,” Jake said admiringly to his fellow IMG model.

“Likewise,” she smoldered seductively. “And it was nice meeting you, Matt.”

When he heard his name, the man was snapped back to the conversation. “I’m sorry, what?”

Miss Fame was clearly offended. “I said that it was nice meeting you, but I’m starting to regret that statement.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. It was nice meeting you too.”

She rolled her eyes and kissed Jake’s cheek before sauntering away.

Jake punched his friend on the shoulder. “Dude, what’s wrong with you?! That was Miss Fame! She’s one of the most influential models in the country and you just pissed her off by being rude.”

“I’m not being rude.”

“You are though. The entire time she was talking, you didn’t listen and you were glancing over her shoulder and all around the room.”

“She was talking so damn much. After like two minutes I tuned her out.”

“So did I, but at least I still acted interested! You did that shit to Sutan Amrull, a totally important designer, too. He probably won’t ever book me for any of his shows now. He saw how rude you were and- are you even listening?!”

Matt stopped scanning the room and turned to his friend. “Hmm?”

“You’re impossible! Why do you keep looking around? What-” He stopped abruptly when he connected the dots. “Are you seriously looking for Apollo right now?”

Matt scoffed. “Fuck all the way off.”

Jake saw right through his childhood friend’s facade. “We’re in the same room with the elite of New York’s finest and you’d looking for a dime store model.”

“Whatever,” he mumbled.

“You’re so lame,” the man got out before the soft music turned into a dramatic theatrical production. A spotlight turned everyone’s attention to the spiral staircase just as a pink haired Mathu descended the steps in a full length canary yellow, ball gown. He did a little dance before making his way to the middle of the room and striking a pose. Someone handed him a microphone.

“Hello, everyone! Thank you for coming to my sweet sixteen!” The guests laughed. “I’ll keep this short and simple, but I need Matt up here, where are you darling?”

The spotlight immediately found the wallflower causing him to freeze.

“Get over here!” the pink haired man urged.

Matt’s mouth was too dry to swallow any spit as he crossed the room under the glares of all the people he had offended earlier. When he made it to Mathu’s side, the man wrapped his arms around Matt’s waist.

“I just want to celebrate all the new talent that has joined our IMG family. Tatianna, Danny, Carmen and Jake to name a few. I look forward to working with all of you and finishing out the year with my newly acquired protégé and hopeful lover, Matt.”

Hoots and hollers spread the place.

“Now let’s party until we drop! To IMG!”

“IMG! IMG!” the guests cheered before breaking away in smaller groups to enjoy the party once again.

“Congratulations, Matt,” the husky Greek voice said from behind him.

Matt’s heart skipped a beat and he tried to suppress his excitement as he turned around but when he saw the grey eyes and perfect smile, the man melted.

“Thank you,” he exhaled with an uncontrollable blush that overwhelmed his cheeks.

“Oh, I must say hello to Jay Alexander,” Mathu announced before kissing Matt’s cheeks. “Until we meet again, my darling,” he chirped before twirling in his ball gown and skipping away.

“New lovers, huh?” Apollo teasingly asked.

“No,” Matt instantly assured. “I mean, he’s joking when he says that…right?”

“Only if you want him to be. Unless he is your type?”

The man let out a nervous laugh. “He’s a bit bright for me.”

“And your spouse is…?”

Matt’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Apollo glanced down at Matt’s ring finger.

“Oh…I’m actually newly divorced,” he said for the first time without wanting to burst into tears.

“Things just didn’t work out or?”

Matt hesitated. “Um-”

Apollo exclaimed something in his native language before touching Matt’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry. It’s such a Greek thing to ask a lot of questions and pry. That’s none of my business.”

Matt struggled to fight the butterflies that were sent into a frenzy by the grey eyed man’s touch. “No it’s fine. The divorce was my fault. My husband left me because I practically told him that I never wanted to be married to him.”

Apollo pouted.

 _Oh My God!_ Matt screamed internally as he glanced down at the model’s perfect, twisted lips.

“Then why did you marry him?”

“Because I loved him and wanted to make him happy. But honestly, ever since childhood, I never even believed in marriage.”

“Did you tell him this.”

Matt nodded.

“And yet he still married you? Even though he knew you’d be unhappy?”

“Well I wasn’t unhappy because seeing him happy made me happy.”

“But you don’t need a marriage for happiness or to prove you love someone. Love is in here,” he said as he placed a hand over Matt’s chest.

Matt gulped. “Agreed.”

The man felt Matt become tense. “You don’t mind me touching you, do you?”

“Not at all,” he replied honestly.

Apollo removed his hand. “Would you like to get a drink?”

 _Keep cool. Keep cool. Don’t come across as a dork._ “Absolutely.”

The man mumbled something in Greek and it sparked Matt’s curiosity.

“What does that mean?”

Apollo’s cheeks suddenly became a rosy hue. “I’m really happy that you said yes. I didn’t think you would,” he admitted.

This caught Matt off guard. “Why not?”

“I’m sure someone so beautiful doesn’t have much time to waste on someone like me.”

“What do you mean someone like you?”

Apollo thought for a minute. “I don’t know the word in English,” he said shyly.

Matt saw right through the innocent lie and curiously raised an eyebrow. The grey eyed man knew that he was onto him so he quickly thought of a recovery.

“I just know that time is a precious thing and I appreciate that you’re willing to spend some of yours with me.”

“I was thinking the exact same thing about you.” _Just go for it damn it, he told himself._ “And being Mathu’s new apprentice, I’d love to photograph you sometime.”

Apollo grinned. “I’d be honored.”

Matt gently took his bottom lip between his teeth just as the other man extended his hand.

“Shall we?”

He nodded and interlocked his fingers with the model’s. Apollo’s grasp around his hand was firm and an instant sense of security that he’d never felt before washed over him.

As Matt was led through the studio by the man, he caught a glimpse of Jake, witnessing his jaw drop as he and Apollo crossed the room.

 _Whore_ , Jake mouthed.

Matt shot him a side smile before unashamedly shrugging.

When they made it to the bar, Apollo pulled out a stool for Matt, something else that he wasn’t used to.

“What would you like to drink?”

“Um…I’m not sure what model protocol is but I love shots of vodka or whiskey.”

“Do you drink to get drunk?”

“I usually don’t drink unless I want to get sick and twisted.”

“Interesting,” he said quietly, as if he was analyzing something in his head.

Matt instantly became self-conscious. “Is that bad?”

“Not at all, Greeks love to drink. You’d fit right in with my family.”

He smiled. “Good to know.”

Apollo bit down on his bottom lip causing Matt’s stomach to lurch. The sexual tension between them was growing more intense by the second, but Matt didn’t know how to act on it.

_Oh God, am I going to fast? Is this just a rebound driven by lust? Do I-_

His thoughts were interrupted by Apollo as the man cleared his throat. “So, as you can probably tell, I am quite smittened by you. I’m not sure if you feel the same connection that I do, but I think it’s nearly tangible and I’d love to act on it,” he said as if he could read Matt’s mind.

The man was so confident and effortlessly smooth that Matt had to grip the counter for support, fearing he’d faint due to the sheer amount of masculinity that Apollo exuded.

The night had already been filled with several firsts, and having another man approach him with such a simple yet sophisticated form of a pick up line, Matt was ready to swoon. “I feel the exact same way,” he admitted, voice coming out more lustful than he could’ve ever intended but he decided to just go with it. “Instead of a drink, why don’t we just get out of here? I’m craving a more… private setting.”

Apollo’s grin stretched from ear to ear. “I think you read my mind.” Although unnecessary, he helped Matt out of his seat and as discreetly as possible, the duo exited the party.

—

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Apollo moaned passionately before cackling. “And he went on like that so loudly as we played Army of Two that when he left, my neighbors gave me the craziest looks and didn’t talk to me for about a week.”

Matt laughed. “Oh my God, that’s hilarious.”

The two of them strolled hand in hand through Central park, laughing and sharing fun facts about themselves.

“Yeahhh. Fun fact, I’ve seen every episode of The Simpsons,” Apollo informed.

“Really? Thats amazing because there’s like hundreds of episodes.”

“Yeah. I mean, I’d love to watch a marathon with you one day.”

“I’d be down.”

Apollo grinned. “Woo, it’s a little cold out tonight,” he said as a brisk wind whisked past his bare neck and arms.

Matt’s brow furrowed for a slight second before it returned to normal. He wasn’t used to hearing that type of statement without it being spoken in a whiny voice.

“Um, I’m actually fine. Do you want my jacket?”

“Of course not,” the man protested nearly instantly. “You’re fine _because_ you have your jacket. Besides, I’m a model baby. I can handle the cold.”

Matt had no idea why, but the way Apollo’s discomfort was handled without crying or demanding his jacket made him admire the stoic man on an entirely different level.

“Okay,” he said quietly.

“I discard all the proper attire when it comes to the weather. I guess because when I was little, my mother would carry coats, mittens, and umbrellas wherever we went incase of a sudden weather change even though it never gets below sixty degrees in Crete.”

“Aww, so that’s why you’re cold. I’m used to below zero temperatures by now,” Matt chuckled.

“I’m not! Snow still freaks me out.”

The man giggled.

“But my mother means the best, always has.”

“Mine too. And I’m an only child so you know how that goes.”

Apollo exclaimed something in his native language. “Lucky! I used to pray that my siblings would disappear so that I could be an only child!”

“And I always wanted siblings!”

The duo burst into laughter.

“I grew up with three sisters and two brothers. I was the third born after my older sister and brother so I got bullied by them and yet I had to be mature enough to handle my younger siblings as well.”

“That makes so much sense.”

Apollo raised an eyebrow. “It does?”

Matt nodded. “I feel like the bullying you received made you tough enough to handle modeling critiques and being mature helped you become so independent so early and that’s why your career has been so successful.”

“Oh wow so without my asshole siblings, I would’ve never become an international model? I’ll call my brother and be sure to thank him for kicking my ass all those years,” he chuckled.

“Yeah, and send him a fruit basket while you’re at it,” Matt joked.

The man laughed. “Noted. So I guess the grass isn’t greener on the other side?”

“No, it’s about the same. And I’ve known Jake since I was like nine and he’s definitely my brother from another mother.”

“Oh, wow that’s awesome! He’s a really cool guy. I can see him really going far in this industry, they love a masculine face because it photographs so well.”

“I’m so proud of him.”

“Me too. Proud that he brought you along today.”

Matt blushed. “I’m glad that he dragged me out of the house. This is probably the first time since my divorce that I can truly say that I’m okay.”

“Just okay?” the man challenged.

“Oh, way more than okay,” Matt assured. “Fun fact, the butterflies in my stomach are going insane right now.”

Apollo grinned and as they continued to walk, they passed a florist stand. "Wait here,” he urged.

Matt watched as the man made his way to the vendor before taking in the arrangements they had for sell. Everything was beautiful and he could even smell the petals from where he stood, but his stomach contorted into knots when he saw a bouquet of yellow roses.

He felt as if he’d be sick but as Apollo turned on his heel to approach, he quickly suppressed it.

The man pulled the violet from behind his back and Matt immediately accepted it. “Aww, thank you so much, Apollo.”

“I know it probably isn’t what you were expecting. I contemplated between a classic red rose or Greece’s national flower, which is the violet.”

“Oh wow, I love it even more now!”

“Rea-really?” he asked nervously.

“Yes! I love getting to know about your home and culture. Embrace the Greek,” he giggled.

Apollo smiled as he wrapped his arm around Matt’s shoulder so that they could continue their walk through Central park.

Before they knew it, the duo had arrived in front of Matt’s apartment. After checking the time and realizing that it was nearly one in the morning, they both groaned internally.

“I don’t think I want you to leave,” Matt quietly admitted.

“Me either, but I have a shoot in the morning.”

“What time?”

“Seven.”

Matt pouted. “Okay.”

“Well it’s not like this is goodbye right?”

“Definitely not.”

Apollo smiled. Matt melted. The planets aligned. And they took advantage of the perfect moment by sealing it with a kiss.

The smoothest of rose petals couldn’t be compared to Apollo’s lips as he molded his mouth against Matt’s while affectionately cradling the man’s cheek with his hand. Matt had to grip th  model’s shirt for some semblance of reality as his all of his senses were ignited. The feeling that surged through him was surreal.

Apollo gave Matt’s bottom lip a gentle nibble before pulling away.

“Oh my God,” Matt exhaled. “Are you real?”

Apollo gave himself a little pinch. “I think so,” he chuckled.

“You’re too perfect to be true.”

“Nobody is perfect. So for what it’s worth, my farts stink really bad.”

Matt laughed.

Apollo kissed his new lover once more before softly uttering something in Greek.

“What does that mean?” Matt asked breathlessly.

“Hold onto my heart until I see you again.”

“I will.”

Apollo pulled Matt by the waist into a one last kiss that made the man go weak at the knees.

“Later,” he got out before releasing him. As he walked away, the air between them seemed to become magnetic and it made it all the more difficult for the duo to part ways. “Later,” Apollo repeated, literally having to force himself to jog away from Matt.

The man groaned as he entered his apartment and slammed the door behind him. He placed his hand over his chest in attempt to calm his heart but it only worsened when he jumped at the pounding on his door.

As soon as Matt turned the knob, Apollo burst into the room and pushed the man up against the first wall he saw while his lips took his lover’s in a passionate kiss. Matt whimpered into the model’s mouth as Apollo cupped his ass, effortlessly lifting him off of the ground.

The man wasn’t used to being carried around and felt like a ragdoll in Apollo’s strong arms. Matt kicked the front door closed before wrapping his legs around the model’s waist while his hands gently cradled his smooth face as they continued to make out. Apollo’s kisses dominated Matt’s eager lips in a way that the man didn’t know that he needed until now. Used to catering to his ex husband’s needs, the new sensation of having someone effortlessly toss him around, clearly intent on bringing him pleasure, felt otherworldly to Matt.

Apollo walked them backwards into the room and before Matt could warn him of the beige sectional, the model tripped over the couch, sending both of them crashing to the floor. They burst into laughter but decided to stay on the ground for awhile as Matt laid on top of the man and continued to kiss him.

“I don’t want to be blamed if you’re too tired for your shoot in the morning, but then again, I kinda do want to be blamed,” Matt whispered.

“Shhhh don’t worry about the shoot. I’ve worked through the flu, Italian Vogue September 2015, in cause you want to look it up. And the death of my dog, Sears November 2012,  I’m the son at the Thanksgiving table and I had to smile all day when all I wanted to do was cry.”

“Aww.”

“Yeah, so being a little tired won’t be a problem. Especially when you’re to blame.”

Matt smiled and the model sat up to meet his lips before pausing. “Is that your ex-husband?”

The man’s heart skipped a beat as he followed Apollo’s gaze to the portrait of he and Jason that he never got around to taking down.

“Um, yeah,” he mumbled.

“He’s cute…not my type, but cute.”

Matt pushed himself away from the man, over towards the photo and put it face down.

Apollo sat completely up. “Do you still have feelings for him?”

There was a long pause before Matt replied. “We were together four years, married for one. He was beyond bratty and spoiled rotten but he was my first love and my best friend. Feelings for him is not something that’d go away in just a few weeks.”

“I understand.”

“But I’m ready to move on.”

“One man’s ex-husband could be another man’s world.”

Matt relented to a smile before extending his hand to help Apollo to his feet.

“My room is upstairs.” 

Without another word, Apollo scooped the man into his arms and sprinted up the stairs with Matt cackling all the while.

When they made it to the barren wasteland that was Matt’s room, Apollo gently lowered him onto the bed before sitting next to him. Matt pulled the man into a kiss but he could feel Apollo become tense.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just don’t want one thing to lead to another so quickly.”

“Oh…”

“Is that bad?”

“No…I was actually thinking the same thing. I don’t want you to think that you’re a rebound or something.”

“Me? Apollo Kostopoulos a rebound? Never,” he teased.

Matt laughed. “I can only imagine. But no, I really do kinda sorta like you and I don’t want to ruin it before it even starts.”

“There’s no way to ruin it. Unless you don’t agree with my sports team choices. I love the Green Bay Packers.”

The man gasped. “No way! It’s all about the Bears!”

Apollo scoffed as he pushed himself off of the bed. “It’s ruined. A hot face with no sense to back it up.”

Matt cackled, caught the man’s hand and pulled him down on top of him. “So it’s ruined, huh?”

“I retract my statement,” Apollo exhaled before kissing him.

The lovers continued to make out between talking shit all the way up until Apollo fell asleep. With the model’s arms wrapped snugly around him, Matt relented to the undeniable comfort that the man’s touch brought him. After a few minutes, Matt slowly slid out of the cuddle so that he didn’t wake the man.

Once he was on his feet, Matt walked over to the dresser where his jewelry box sat. He took a deep breath, removed his wedding ring and placed it in the wooden chest.

His hand felt ten pounds lighter as he turned on his heel and climbed into bed within the protective warmth of Apollo’s arms.


	5. Chapter 5

Matt woke the next morning to the smell of something-

“Good?” he asked himself. “No burnt smell…that’s a first.” He quickly pushed himself out of bed and rushed towards the kitchen to find Apollo at the stove.

“Good morning, gorgeous,” the model greeted with a perfect smile. The man looked as if he was about to do a spread in Better Homes and Gardens as he flipped the last pancake onto the plate beside him.

“Good morning,” Matt replied in disbelief. The beautiful man that stood in his kitchen was confirmation that the previous night had actually happened. “How are you even making pancakes? I don’t have any food, let alone pancake mix.”

“You had flour, eggs, and- well no buttermilk, but that’s easily substituted with regular milk and a little lemon juice.”

“Oh my God, you’re unreal.”

“Whattt? I really hope you don’t mind that I used your kitchen.”

“Of course I don’t mind. Anyone who can make pancakes from scratch can cook in my kitchen any damn time.”

Apollo smiled. “I woke up because I was hungry and I thought you would be too so I made you some as well.” He placed the stack of golden brown pancakes in front of the man and Matt’s mouth immediately began to water.

“These look amazing! Thank you.” After drizzling a little syrup on the top, Matt  grabbed a fork and cut into the pancakes before taking a bite. The fluffy texture of the hotcakes practically melted in his mouth. “Oh my God.”

Apollo frowned. “Do you hate it?”

Matt took a moment of silence before he spoke. “These are the best pancakes I’ve ever had.”

The man shot him an incredulous look.

“Seriously! I’ve had pancakes that I couldn’t even cut into before. Pancakes with eggshells. Pancakes that could be used as legal weapons.”

Apollo cackled. “Damn, who was cooking for you?”

“My ex-husband.”

“Well that’s the real reason you divorced,” he joked before catching himself. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. I mean if that’s the reason at least now I know,” he chuckled.

Apollo was quiet for a long time before he spoke again. “You said his name in your sleep.”

Matt froze, slightly embarrassed. “Really?”

The man nodded.

“Wha-what else did I say?”

“Nothing. Just his name. Followed by whimpering.”

Matt placed his hand on his forehead. “That’s horrible. I’m really sorry.”

“Pfft. Don’t apologize for that.”

“But I don’t want you to think I’m just some pathetic guy who just can’t get over his ex.”

“You were together so long, if you were over him already, I would’ve found it weird.”

“I guess,” he sighed, clearly still embarrassed.

“What’s that saying? ‘London bridge wasn’t rebuilt in one day’.”

Matt laughed. “That’s not a saying.”

“Whatever. My point is that you had this great love and nobody is expecting you to recover in such a short amount of time, but if I can help distract or speed up the recovery process, then I’d be more than happy to,” he chuckled.

The man’s smile was soft. “I’d like that.”

They shared a kiss before Apollo checked his watch. “I’d better get going.”

Matt wanted to protest but fought the urge. “Do you need to shave or something?” he asked in attempt to stall time.

The model rubbed his five o’clock shadow. “No, they told me not too. A little scruff is desired for the shot.”

He pouted as he pushed his food around his plate. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’d invite you to go but it’s a closed set. They’re paranoid about their ad ideas being leaked or something. It’s stupid. But afterwards I’m free.”

“Any plans?”

“Not unless they’re with you,” Apollo replied smoothly.

Matt grinned. “Then we should do something.”

“What do you have in mind?”

He thought for a minute. “Have you ever been to a drag show?”

“No.”

“Well, Adore Delano is performing tonight. Wanna go?”

“I’d love to. I’m sure it’ll be fun.”

Matt nodded with childlike excitement as Apollo checked his watch again.

“I gotta get going. See you tonight,” he said before they shared a kiss.

“Mmm, maple,” Apollo chuckled. “Later, moró.”

“Later,” Matt exhaled. “Wait,” he urged.

The man stopped. “Yes?”

“What does m-moró mean?”

“Baby or babe.”

Matt blushed. “Oh…later, moró.”

The model smiled and continued towards the exit. As soon as he saw the front door close upon Apollo’s exit, the man squealed like a teenage girl after being asked to prom. “Oh my God, he called me babe.”

—

Later that day, Jake let himself into Matt’s apartment.

“Skipper, I bought you some donuts!” he shouted up the stairs.

“Thanks. I’ll eat them when I get back.”

Jake raised and eyebrow before taking the steps two at a time to Matt’s bedroom where he found his friend ironing his shirt. “Where the hell are you going?”

“To Adore’s show.”

“Ooo, I wanna go.”

“I’m going with Apollo. This is a date,” Matt emphasized to ensure that Jake knew he wasn’t invited.

“What the- and oh! Speaking of Apollo, where’d you two go last night?” he demanded just like any nosey friend would.

“None of your damn business.”

“Oh, come on! Did you guys fuck? That’s really all I wanna know.”

“That too, is none of your business.”

Jake scoffed. “That’s a no.”

“He’s a gentleman. We walked around, got to know each other and he came back to my place for some cuddles and-”

“Boringgggg.”

“Well not everyone is a whore like you,” Matt chuckled.

“Whores have fun. In fact, I’m going out tonight too.”

“As long as it isn’t with Derrick, I’m fine.”

“Hell no it’s not Derrick. This person actually has talent.”

Matt cackled. “What a relief.”

“Mhm. Well, I’m gonna get out of your hair. I just stopped by to check on you but you’ve gone from couch potato to model chaser.”

“Fuck all the way off.”

“I hope you get laid tonight,” Jake said as he turned on his heel to descend the steps but he continued to talk. “You deserve to get laid because Apollo is hung. I’ve seen his dick a few times at  shoots. I’m impressed but not that impressed.”

Matt rolled his eyes as he laughed to himself. After hearing the front door close, he continued to get ready for his date.

—

“Isn’t it a little cheesy to wear the shirt of the person that you’re going to see in concert?” Apollo asked as he teasingly poked at Matt’s Adore tank top.

“No,” he replied. “I think I look cool.Sorry that I don’t look like a supermodel in everything I wear like you.”

The model scoffed. “Oh stop, you know you’re gorgeous.”

Matt stared down at his shoes before Apollo gently grabbed his chin, lifting it so that they’d make eye contact.

“You don’t think you’re gorgeous?”

“Well… I think I’m okay. I mean-” he was cut off when the model exclaimed something in Greek.

“You’re clearly not seeing yourself properly. We need to get more mirrors in your house.”

“So that my face can make them crack?” Matt weakly joked.

“Matt,” he said in disbelief just as the lights in the club went dark. The crowd’s screaming made it impossible for Apollo to be heard without shouting. “You’re gorgeous!”

“I can’t hear you!” Matt lied in attempt to end the conversation. “The show’s about to start!”

Apollo frowned. “This isn’t over!”

Matt smiled and pretended to misunderstand. “Thank you!” He kissed his lover just as Adore Delano took to the stage, sending the man into a screaming fangirl frenzy.

Apollo found Matt’s excitement to be the most adorable thing he’d ever seen but the fact that the man didn’t see himself as beautiful made the model uneasy.

He decided not to press the issue and turned his attention to the show.

“Hey, Brooklyn! How you guys doing tonight?” Adore asked the audience after singing a few songs.

The crowd cheered.

“Good, good- oh my God you’re fucking hot!” she declared as she pointed at Apollo. “Are you going to the meet and greet?”

“Um, I don’t know.” He turned to Matt. “Are we?”

“No, I didn’t think you would want to for your first show.”

“Well, get your ass up here!” Adore demanded in a light-hearted way that made it impossible to say no.

Apollo obliged and made his way to the stage.

“Hi, gorg! What’s your name?” she asked before placing the microphone in front of him.

“Apollo.”

“Ooo, is that an accent I detect? Where are you from.”

“Greece.”

“Oh my God that’s hot. You also look kinda familiar. Do you do porn?”

The man laughed. “No, but I am a model. Maybe you’ve seen an ad.”

“Fuck yes I have! Were you in the Armani cologne one that comes in the magazine with the sniff sample?”

“Yeah, that was me.”

“Oh fuck, you’re sexy.”

Apollo giggled. “Thanks, but you know who’s even sexier?”

“Me of course! That’s why you’re coming to my room tonight, yes?”

“Well, you certainly are, but so is my date.”

“Date? Where’s your date?” Adore scanned the crowd.

Apollo pointed directly at Matt. “The sexy one wearing your shirt.”

Matt felt his skin start to sizzle underneath everyone’s gaze.

“Aww, he’s cute,” said Adore.

“Nah, he’s beautiful,” Apollo corrected.

“Oh my God,” Matt groaned to himself.

“Of course he is,” she said before turning his attention back to the model. “So are you going to the meet and greet? It could be a private one if you’d like.”

Matt wasn’t surprised that his favorite drag queen was flirting with the man. Apollo was perfect and deserved someone just as amazing as he was.

“I think I’ll pass on that,” Apollo said honestly. “I wanna spend some alone time with my beautiful date.”

Matt couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“But you can see him any day, I’m only here for tonight,” Adore retorted, clearly a little agitated.

“Exactly! I can see him any day and I hope to see him everyday from here on out, if that’s okay with him.” Apollo winked at a wide-eyed, bashful Matt.

“Alright, Apollo,” she groaned. “Get off my stage.”

“It was nice meeting you,” he said before returning to Matt’s side.

“Why’d you do that?” he whispered.

“Do what?”

“Make such a public announcement about me being…hot I guess. And now Adore is kinda pissed so every time I see her, it’ll be awkward that my date kinda put her in her place.”

“Well, you are my date, doesn’t that mean something? And she called you cute. That is a very disrespectful understatement.”

The man blushed.

Apollo wrapped his arm around his date’s waist and pulled him close. “You’re gonna believe that you’re perfect one way or another,” he promised.

Matt relented to the comfort of Apollo’s protective touch where he enjoyed the rest of the show.

—

On the walk home, Matt pulled Apollo into the direction of Sal’s donuts. He couldn’t wait for his date to meet the man who’d become one of his closest friends and to try what he’d deemed the best donuts in Brooklyn.

When they entered, Apollo wrinkled his nose.

“Hey, Matt!” the man greeted before practically pulling him over the counter into an embrace. “Jake was here earlier, but how long has it been since I’ve seen you?!”

“Two weeks, Sal,” he chuckled. “But things are so much better since the last time you saw me. This is Apollo.”

“Hey, my man! Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

“Sal, I need two classic glazed with rainbow sprinkles.” He turned to his date. “You haven’t lived until you’ve tried Sal’s donuts.”

“I actually don’t eat donuts.”

Matt’s jaw dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding. Well now I know that you aren’t perfect.”

“Models have to watch what they eat, but I guess I could try one on my cheat day.”

“Which is?”

“The first and fifteenth of every month.”

“Oh my God, so you don’t eat pizza or anything like that?”

Apollo shook his head. “Not if I want a job.”

Matt felt terrible. “Oh, I didn’t even think of that.”

“Mhm, now retract your statement that I’m not perfect,” he joked.

“I retract my statement,” Matt said with pouty lips.

Apollo stole a kiss.

“Well at least I don’t have to hear 'I don’t wanna eat pizza againnnn’ every other day.”

“Oh yeah, that Jason was a whiner,” Sal commented.

“Who?” Matt asked underhandedly before grabbing his date by the arm and leading him towards the exit. “Later, Sal!”

—

Over the next week, Matt and Apollo spent every moment possible together and if they weren’t together, they texted and called each other.

_Monday: Bowling date_

“Why do we have to wear these shoes?” Apollo asked with furrowed brows.

“It’s so the floors don’t get scratched up.”

“I feel like a clown.”

“You look like one too,” Matt teased.

“Oh you won’t be talking all that shit when I kick your butt in this game.”

“You don’t even know how to bowl,” he retorted.

“Well, I’m about to learn and the kick your butt!”

Matt cackled. “I’ll show you. Pick a ball.”

“Does it matter which one? What are the differences?”

“The weight and finger hole size.”

Apollo giggled. “Finger hole.”

“You’re such a dork.”

“Okay, I like this one.” Apollo attempted to stick his fingers in the ball’s holes but his digits were too big. “It’s too small.”

“Then find another.”

“But I like this oneeee. Can I get some lube?”

Matt palmed his face as he laughed. “No! You may not lube the ball.”

“I’m kidding. I’ll go with this blue one because it matches your eyes.” He slid his fingers into the holes. “Perfect fit.”

“Alright Casanova. Don’t go overboard with the fingering,” he chuckled. “Okay, so what I do is start back here, rush up and roll the ball like this.” Matt went through the motions of bowling before turning to Apollo. “Got it?”

“I think so. Let’s see.” The man copied what he thought Matt had done, but he ended up swinging his arm so hard that the bowling ball was sent into the air before it came crashing down onto the lane.

Apollo exclaimed something in Greek as Matt suppressed his laughter with both hands.

“Lane six, please be careful,” a monotone voice said over the loudspeaker.

“Sorry,” the grey eyed man offered.

It was the first time that Matt saw that Apollo was genuinely embarrassed so he made his way over to his side. “It’s okay,” he assured.

“I’m destroying the place. I don’t think that’s okay.”

“Wanna try again?”

“Not really.”

“Even if you receive hands on training?”

This peaked the man’s interest. “What does that entail?”

“Grab another ball.”

Apollo did as he was told but he was hesitant to roll again.

Matt approached the man from behind and pulled him close. “Okay,” he whispered against Apollo’s neck. “You’re gonna want to find your center and roll the ball, firmly but not too hard, right down the middle of the lane.”

The grey eyed man pushed his ass against Matt’s crotch, gaining as much body on body contact as possible. “How is my form?”

Matt placed a hand on each side of Apollo’s waist before slowly moving them up to explore the man’s chest. “Amazing,” he exhaled. “And your form isn’t too bad either.”

Apollo cackled. “You’re a perverted teacher.”

“Are you at least learning anything?”

“Mm hmm. Find your center, get firm and roll your balls down the center.”

“Close enough,” Matt chuckled before releasing his lover. “You got this.”

Apollo took a few steps back and then rushed forward, releasing the bowling ball right towards the gutter.

He groaned.

“No, don’t get frustrated,” Matt pleaded. “You’re one hundred percent improved already. You just have to refine your focus.”

“How do I do that?”

Matt thought for a second before whispering into Apollo’s ear. “Just imagine me…naked.”

“Woo, alrighty then. That is indeed motivation.”

The man returned to his spot behind the line in order to give the model ample room to roll.

After a few seconds, Apollo’s imagination took over and he quickly returned the ball to the holding rack. “Fuck bowling,” he rushed as he grabbed Matt’s wrist, and pulled him along towards the exit with his lover cackling all the while.

“What about our shoes?”

“Fuck the shoes too!”

The lovers ended their date making out in the back of a cab until they physically had to pull away from each other with promises that sex would come when the time was right.

—

_Tuesday: Photography lessons_

“Alright, we need a test subject. Apollo get your beautiful self over here!” Mathu ordered.

The model made his way over in front of the background and stood. Keen on keeping their personal lives and professional lives separate, he and Matt exchanged discreet smiles.

“So your model, if they know what they’re doing will always catch the light and things but it’s your job to capture your vision. They’re your canvas and you have to tell them what you want.”

“Um, okay. Give me sensual,” Matt said, still unsure of himself but Apollo effortlessly conveyed the emotion through his eyes and body language.

Matt captured the moment on camera.

“Okay, that’s beautiful but watch this,” Mathu said as he unnecessarily grabbed Matt’s waist to reposition him. “You wanted sensual and head on is great but look at him from this angle. It’s even better with the light hitting his cheekbones.”

“Ooh yeah, I see what you’re saying.”

“Good. Now tell him to give you something else.”

“Sadness.”

Apollo gripped his dark hair with one hand and placed his other hand at his neck, seemingly digging his nails into his flesh as he portrayed an internalized agony that sent chills down Matt’s spine.

“Intense,” the photographer commented.

“Apollo is a pro. He deserves more than the basic emotions you’re throwing out.”

“Ummm, okay give me…fart in elevator,” Matt said with a slight snort.

Apollo did his best to remain professional in front of Mathu. He turned his expression into disgust before bursting into laughter at the inside joke, followed by Matt.

“Sorry,” the model apologized.

“What’s going on here?” Mathu demanded.

“Nothing,” Matt assured. The laughing stopped but only temporarily as the two made eye contact once again and burst into more giggles.

“Are you two fucking?”

“No,” the duo said in unison.

Mathu glanced between them with narrowed eyes causing Apollo to purse his lips while Matt stared down at his shoes. The pink haired man groaned. “Damn it, Apollo! He wasn’t meant for you!”

“I’m sorry,” Apollo said quietly.

“Mathu, you know that you’re my boo,” Matt assured.

“Not if you’re banging King Kong over there!” he exploded before sighing.

“For what it’s worth, we haven’t had sex,” the model added.

“Yet,” Matt mumbled.

“So I still have a chance,” Mathu said as he placed his hand to his chin.

“Of course,” his protégé declared. “Bring it in.” Matt pulled Mathu into a hug and over the man’s shoulder, shot his real lover a look.

 _Threesome?_ Apollo mouthed suggestively causing Matt to laugh.

“Damn it, Apollo!”

—

_Wednesday: Condo Renovations_

“I really like this color, babe,” Matt said as he slathered the powder blue paint onto the living room walls of Apollo’s condo.

“Thanks but the way you’re putting it on is so wrong.”

“How? It’s paint, you just wipe it on.”

“Nooo, you have to go up and down. Vertical lines.”

Matt scoffed. “Says who?”

“Says everyone! Don’t you dabble in the art world? You should know this.”

“You should know this,” Matt mocked in his best imitation of the man’s Greek accent.

“Oh, you think you’re clever don’t you?”

“You think you’re clever don’t youuuu?”

Apollo scowled. “Keep that up and I’ll slather paint all over you.”

“Keep that up and I’ll- oh my God! That’s cold!” Matt squealed at the paint that Apollo smeared on his neck.

“I…told you…not to…mock me!” he reprimanded through gritted teeth as he continued to prod the man with his paintbrush.

Matt retaliated by dipping his brush into the paint and flinging it across Apollo’s bare chest. Despite minimum plastic coverings to protect the furniture and floors, a paint war quickly ensued and lasted for several minutes.

Apollo tackled his lover onto the couch before wiping his paint covered hands on Matt’s cheeks.

Matt cackled breathlessly. “Okay, okay,” he wheezed. “You win.”

“I better.” Apollo practically growled before stealing a kiss and pushing himself off of Matt. The man glanced around the room. “What a mess.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. Besides, I can always buy a new couch. But how often do I get to slathered paint on you?”

“As often as you want,” he said lustfully.

Apollo bit his bottom lip and pulled Matt off of the couch by the wrist. “Let’s get cleaned up.”

The man led his lover to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

“Oh my God,” Matt chuckled when he saw Apollo’s handprint on the back of hisshorts.

“I marked my territory.”

“Clearly,” he giggled as he removed his shirt.

As Apollo watched him through hooded eyes, Matt removed his boxers and shorts in one swift motion before quickly hopping behind the door of the glass shower.

He glanced over his shoulder to encourage his lover to join him, but Apollo was nowhere to be found. Matt then turned his attention to scrubbing the paint off as quickly as he could.

After exiting the shower, the man wrapped the towel his waist before leaving the bathroom in search of the man. “Apollo?”

“I’m in the living room.”

Matt quickly made his way into the room where he found the model painting the wall.

“I thought you were gonna shower.”

“I was but I knew that one thing would lead to another and I just don’t think I’m ready for that yet,” he said quietly.

Matt’s eyebrows furrowed. “Apollo, are you a virgin?”

The scoffed. “Of course not. Why do you ask?”

“You just seem a little insecure in…that area.”

Apollo shot him a look. “You don’t have to worry about _that_ area. Size, performance or anything. I’m good,” he said defensively.

“I didn’t mean to offend you. You’re into me and I’m into you, it just makes me wonder when you’ll be ready.”

Apollo sighed before finally telling the man what was up. “I have dyslexia. Growing up it was so bad that everyone thought I was just an idiot that’d never amount to anything. My family didn’t think I was smart enough to make it on my own and I was determined to prove them wrong. I was never particularly good at anything but I’d always been complimented on my looks so I figured I could be a model. Perfect right? I didn’t think that I had to read or anything, just pose and look cool. So when I left Greece at age eighteen, I barely understood English and I was easily taken advantage of. The first agency I went to was a scam and they beat me out of thousands of dollars. The next agency got nude pictures out of me and had them all over the internet.”

“Damn,” Matt gasped.

“I had to learn the business the hard way, making me just so rough around the edges that not even the National Enquirer would book me. Then one day I got a call from Mathu. He’d seen the nude photos and he said that I had way more potential than that. After meeting him, he taught me how to soften up and be way more marketable which launched my career. But as far as relationships went, all the people that I was interested in, weren’t as interested in me. It was very 'Oh my God, you’re sexy. Let’s fuck’. They would never like me for me, they liked the idea of me: 'the model’ and it always makes me feel like I’m being taken advantage of again.

So for once in my life, I’d like to have a meaningful relationship that’s based on something deeper than just sex.”

“Oh,” Matt let out as everything suddenly made sense.

“If that’s not something that you’re interested in, then I’m sorry for leading you on. I should’ve told you from the beginning.”

“You should’ve,” Matt exhaled. “But it wouldn’t have made a difference. I really like you for you, smelly farts and all.”

Apollo blushed. “I feel like a teenager again. 'I like you too’,” he mocked.

“I mean, I don’t wanna marry you, but you’ll do for now,” Matt teased.

“Hush,” Apollo said as he fought the urge to flick more paint on the man.

Matt grinned. “I need to borrow some clothes. I wasn’t expecting to be the victim of a paint attack today.”

“Help yourself to my closet. And when you’re done, we’re going shopping for a new couch and a rug because this paint  won’t come up.”

“You want me to go furniture shopping with you? Why, Apollo this is so sudden,” he said dramatically.

“Oh, wait nevermind. I’ve seen your taste in furniture. That sectional looks like shit.”

Matt gasped and before they knew it, another paint fight was in full throttle.

—

_Thursday: Snow_

“It’s the middle of October! Why the hell is it snowing?!” Apollo panicked as he stared out the window of his apartment.

“It snows in October sometimes,” Matt said. “You’ve been in the U.S. long enough to know this.”

“Actually, jerk, I’m usually in the Mexico or the Caribbean for swimsuit jobs.”

“Swimsuits in the winter?”

“Yeah. Jobs like that are done the season before so that they have enough time to put them in catalogs. Swimsuits are done in the winter and coats are done in the summer.”

“That’s insane.”

“Yeah sometimes the client will pay the extra money to fly us to a better climate but not always.”

“Being a model is hard.”

“Being this beautiful is hard,” he joked.

“I wouldn’t know.”

Apollo scowled. “What is it gonna take for you to realize that you’re beautiful?”

Matt thought for a minute. “You really wanna know?”

“Yes.”

His expression turned mischievous. “Let me take pictures of you in the snow.”

Apollo groaned. “Fine.”

Matt stole a kiss from his lover’s pouty lips before rushing off to get dressed in his coat.

Apollo wore two coats and three pairs of gloves.

“You look like Randy from A Christmas Story. 'I can’t put my arms down!’” he cackled.

“I’ve never seen it so your reference sounds stupid,” the model retorted.

“See me with them hands.”

“I’ll see you with a snowball to the side of your head,” he mumbled as he pulled on his beanie.

Matt grabbed the man’s wrist and pulled him along towards the exit. “Come on!”

—

“Ugh, snow,” Apollo groaned with a wrinkled nose.

“No complaining on my set!” Matt scooped up a handful of the fluff and tossed it into the air, letting the icy crystals fall all around him. “This is what I want you to do while conveying joy.”

“So, a Macy’s catalog?”

The man rolled his eyes. “Do that high fashion thing that you do.”

He smiled. “As easy as breathing.”

The instant that Matt picked up his camera, Apollo turned on his model charm. He planted his feet in the snow and grabbed the collar of one of his coats before doing something with his face that Matt couldn’t explain even if he wanted to.

“Don’t move,” the photographer ordered as he snapped the picture.

Apollo made a subtle change by dropping one hand and glancing to the side, effectively taking Matt’s breath away as he captured the moment. The model bent one of his legs and pocketed his free hand.

Matt lowered his camera. “This is stunning, but can you pick up some snow?”

Apollo hesitated. “What is this shoot for anyways?”

“My bedroom wall,” Matt said sheepishly.

The man took a deep breath. “I guess making a sacrifice for that would be reasonable.”

The photographer grinned as he watched his lover scoop up some of the snow in both hands. “I’m only going to do this once so you better make it work.”

Matt placed his camera to eye and as soon as Apollo tossed the snow, he snapped three photos.

“Ugh,” the model groaned. “Happy now?”

Matt grinned as he nodded.

“You know, I feel like you’re the happiest when you’re behind the camera.”

“I think so too.”

“You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you,” he said with a soft smile.

“Yes!” Apollo shouted.

“What?”

“That’s the first time you’ve accepted my complement and just thanked me instead of turning it down.”

“I suppose.”

“You’re beautiful!” Apollo said as he charged his lover before picking him up and giving him a little spin.

“Thank you,” Matt repeated.

“What took you so long to just accept it?”

The man frowned. “Ever since I was little, I just felt like I was never good enough and after my dad passed away, I just accepted being unwanted. I didn’t want to try to connect with anyone because I saw it as a waste of time because they’d eventually leave. Jason came along and changed my perspective, but in the end he left me too so it’s just like why-” he took a deep breath.

Apollo placed his hands on Matt’s shoulders. “Moró, you are beautiful and there aren’t any conditions to that. Nobody can affect that unless you let them and do you want to give someone like _him_ that power over you?”

Matt sniffled as he shook his head. “I don’t want him to have any power. He doesn’t deserve that.”

“Damn right he doesn’t.” Apollo uttered something in Greek before lifting his lover’s chin so that he can look into his eyes. “Okay?”

“What does that mean?”

“Anyone who sneak divorces someone with an ass like yours must be insane.”

Matt smiled as he wiped his eyes.

“So while he’s being committed, we’ll be happy in this icky snow. Okay?”

“Okay,” he sighed.

They shared a kiss before Apollo knelt down to scoop up a handful of the fluffy ice. He shot the man a mischievous glance.

Matt raised an eyebrow. “What are you gonna do with that?”

“I’ll give you five seconds to run as far as you can.”

“Oh no. I’m not go-”

“Five…four…”

“Nooo. I don’t wanna play in the snow, I just wanted to take pictures.”

“Three…”

“Apollo, no. I have my camera and-”

“Two…”

“Babe!” Matt giggled before taking off as fast as he could, eliciting a cackle from the model.

“Kidding! Let’s go get some hot chocolate.”

—

_Friday: Dinner_

Apollo frowned. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you pick the restaurant. What is this place?”

“Apollo,” Matt reprimanded. “It’s a Greek restaurant! Surprise!”

The man wrinkled his nose as he glared around the place disapprovingly.

“You don’t like it?”

“The décor looks like someone went to a gift shop, purchased everything in there, put it in their garage and called it a Greek restaurant.”

Matt scoffed. “Just give it a chance. For me?”

Apollo sighed. “Fine.”

The man smiled. He wasn’t used to getting his way so easily so he was determined to make the best of it. Matt grabbed his lover’s hand as they were lead to a table, and once they were handed menus, Apollo immediately began to scrutinize it.

“This gyro looks like shit.”

“I’ve never had it…not even sure I want it now.”

“Well, don’t try it. It looks like shit.”

Matt rolled his eyes. “I want the moussaka.”

“Oh hell no. My mother makes the best moussaka and I refuse to even look at theirs.”

“So are you just gonna be a snob and not eat?”

“I’ll try the chicken souvlaki in a pita. There’s no way you can really mess that up.”

“Picky, picky,” Matt mumbled.

Apollo retorted something in Greek.

“Jibber jabber to you too.”

After ordering, their food arrived several minutes later and the model was intent on analyzing it.

“Ugh, the chicken is so dark and dry. This is probably the leftover scraps of meat from the chicken’s ass and ew! Is that a hunk of fat?”

“Just eat it,” Matt said as if he was a parent growing more annoyed with their child.

“No way. And I won’t even bother ordering anything else.”

“The moussaka is really good. Wanna try?”

Apollo reluctantly obliged, allowing the man to spoon feed him the pasta dish. He chewed a few times before grabbing his napkin and spitting the food into it.

“Oh my God, you’re being so dramatic.”

“No, the sauce tastes like it’s from a can and it’s super greasy and- ugh.”

Matt scoffed. “I can’t take you anywhere.”

“Sure you can, but I mean if you want to taste authentic Greek food, then you have to go to Greece.”

“I hope to go one day.”

“How about tomorrow?”

Matt raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“I’m serious. I have a shoot in Venice and Crete is just a short flight away. I was going to invite you to go, but after brining me to this shit hole, I demand that you go.”

“Really?” Matt asked in disbelief.

“Yes! Clear your schedule because tomorrow, I’ll show you around my town.”

—

_Saturday: Sealing the deal_

“Last few frames, Apollo,” the Italian photographer announced,prompting the model to change his pose around his female costars, Gigi Hadid and Alaska, the albino boa constrictor.

“Gigi, keep your face innocent yet curious. Remember you’re playing Adam and Eve. Apollo I love what you’re doing, keep up that energy. Even play with Alaska a little, antagonize the beast.”

From behind the camera, Apollo caught a glimpse of Matt grinning so he kissed the snake just to make his lover’s skin crawl.

Matt cringed. “I’m so not kissing you tonight,” he mumbled.

Apollo chuckled before turning back to the camera. Working with only a few leaves over his crotch as wardrobe, the way the man modeled it, he made the look fashionable.

“Beautiful,” the photographer encouraged.

Apollo pulled Gigi close for the last few sensual shots before the man behind the camera informed them that they were done. Alaska was hauled off while the models were given robes to cover their leaf cladded bodies.

“It was great working with you again, Apollo,” Gigi said flirtatiously. “So will I see you at the IMG party in Paris next week?”

“Absolutely. I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he replied before kissing both of her cheeks.

“Bye. Bye, Matt.”

The man gave her a short wave as Apollo approached him and Gigi left the set.

“Well, I guess the men love you, the women love you, they all love Apollo,” he said with an obvious jealousy fueled attitude. “Even snakes.”

The model found Matt’s furrowed brow and wrinkled nose to be adorable. “I suppose,” he said nonchalantly. “But as long as you love me, that’s all that matters.”

Matt immediately went flush. He didn’t know how to respond and attempted to force words out so that he wouldn’t hurt his lover’s feelings. “Umm, I-I-I-, we-”

The model chuckled. “I’m kidding! Actions speak louder than words and your actions show that you’ll just have to be mine.”

The man blushed. “Aren’t I already yours? I’m pretty sure you had me at hello.”

Apollo grinned as he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s waist before tenderly placing his lips against Matt’s. They stayed like that for a full minute before Apollo pulled away.

“Let’s go meet my family.”

—

“Okay,” Apollo sighed for the third time as the couple strolled up the cobblestone to the Greek villa. “I’ll go over it once more.” He held up the piece of paper with his family tree printed on it. “My mother is very loud and outspoken and she might pinch your cheeks. My father is more stoic, he’s slowly coming to terms with my career because he thinks that if America is so great, then I should’ve been a doctor by now and not taking my clothes off for a camera. Aunt Jocasta hates my sexality so let’s just avoid her altogether, but Aunt Leda loves me to pieces and always makes my favorite foods. All my siblings will absolutely adore you, in addition to grandmother. She may or may not touch you inappropriately.”

“Umm, okay,” Matt stammered as he tried to process all of the information.

“The most important thing to remember is that in Greece, physical contact is very common, it may seem like someone is straight up hitting on you but that’s just the culture here. And we’re very loud, just a basic conversation would probably look like a full blown argument, so if you get scared or uncomfortable just let me know.”

“Pfft, I’m not a baby. Besides, my ex’s family essentially tried to kill me so this should be a piece of cake.”

Apollo laughed, not knowing just how true Matt’s words were. “I know you’re really soft spoken at times, so just brace yourself for a circus.”

“I think I got it.”

“Oh and one more thing.”

“Hmm?”

“None of them speak a word of English.”

“But-but-but-”

“Apollo!” A beautiful middle aged woman shouted as she rushed out of the front door of her home.

“Mitéra!” he squealed as he ran to meet who Matt assumed was his mother based on the same breathtaking grey eyes and dark wavy hair.  
  


Matt couldn’t help but smile as the model and his mother embraced. The woman instantly began to groom her son, smoothing his hair and wiping his cheeks with her saliva covered thumb before he had to physically grab her wrists to stop her and direct her attention to Matt.

She exclaimed something so excitedly that it made Matt jump a little. The woman threw her arms around the man before kissing both of his cheeks.

“Poió eínai to ónoma?” she asked.

“Matt,” Apollo answered, emphasizing each syllable.

“Matt,” the woman repeated in a heavy accent. “Eísai ómorfi!”

The man gave Apollo a look.

“She said that you’re beautiful. Like I’ve been saying this entire time.”

Matt blushed and right on cue, the woman pinched both of his cheeks and gave them a gentle tug as she spoke.

Apollo groaned; grabbing his mother’s wrists to pull her away before chastising her.  He turned to Matt.

“She said that you also have great eyes and nice teeth, I told her that you aren’t a race horse so stop examining you.”

“Oh, no it’s okay,” Matt said as he turned to face her. “Thank you.”

The woman grinned and grabbed Matt’s hand. “Éla mazí mou.”

“She said come with her. She wants you to meet the rest of the family.”

Matt smiled. “Of course.” He followed the woman into the beautiful Mediterranean styled abode. They hadn’t even made it a few feet past the threshold before three burly men charged Apollo, pulling him into embraces while they gave him loving shoves and punches on the arms at the same time.

“Oh damn,” Matt mumbled as he watched his boyfriend being roughhoused by what he assumed was two brothers and maybe a cousin.

“Chaírete!” A high-pitched voice squealed, catching Matt’s attention. He turned around within enough time to see the dark haired girl rushing towards him. She grabbed the man’s shoulders to steady him as she kissed both of his cheeks.

The young woman turned and shouted back into the house. “Apollo eínai edó!” Moments later, three other excited women approached him before kissing his cheeks and clamoring over each other in Greek. Matt simply smiled and let out the occasional nervous laugh.   
  


“Okay, okay,” Apollo declared breathlessly. “Matt this is the family, sisters, aunts, brothers, cousins.” He said something to the group before they said something to Matt in response. “They say welcome, make yourself at home and that a big Greek meal is being prepared for you.”

“Aww, thank you so much,” Matt said, nearly overwhelmed the hospitality.

Apollo grabbed his boyfriend’s hand before saying something dismissively to his family. “I’ll show you around the house.”   
  


“How do you say thank you in Greek?”

“Efcharistó.”

Matt repeated the term in a choppy dialect before Apollo pulled him along towards the upper level.

“This house is so beautiful. Like, it’s small but very welcoming.”

“Thank you. And although it’s my parent’s home, my aunts, uncles and grandparents are always here. It’s like the hub for holidays and Sunday dinners.”

“I love that.”

“So what do you think of my family so far?”

“They seem really sweet. I got a lot of cheek kisses.”

Apollo chuckled. “That’s the Greek hello.”

“Then how come you didn’t kiss me when we first met?” he challenged.

“I’m superstitious.”

Matt’s eyebrows furrowed. “About what?”

“It’s said that if you kiss someone in your first introduction to them, your romantic pursuits with them will never be successful.”

“Really? So you planned to pursue me from the moment you met me?” Matt asked, a little smug.

“Absolutely,” he replied confidently. “And I knew I’d get you.”

“How’d you know that?”

Apollo flashed a cheeky grin before uttering something in Greek.

Matt frowned. “What does that mean?”

The man continued to speak in his native language causing the man to pout.

Apollo saw the frown but simply found a wall that didn’t hold mass amounts of family portraits to gently push his boyfriend up against while he spoke soft Greek into his ear.

His hands explored Matt’s chest and body as he kissed along his boyfriend’s neck and jaw.

“Eíst…téleia…agápi,” he mumbled between kisses.  
  


At this point, Matt didn’t know nor did he care what the model was saying because whatever it was, it sounded incredibly sexy and he wanted the man now more than ever.   
  
Matt tangled his fingers in Apollo’s hair before giving it a firm tug so that he could pull the man to his lips. The model relented, but quickly grabbed his boyfriend’s wrist and aggressively pinned it above his head to show him who was in control.

Matt moaned into his lover’s mouth. The feeling of being dominated was completely new to him but he eagerly welcomed the sensations; using what little leeway Apollo had given him to wrap his leg around the other man’s.

“I need you,” he whispered.

Instead of Apollo’s deep, husky reply that Matt expected, he jumped at the high pitched tone that emanated from behind them.

“Ektós apó kápoia gia ména.”

Apollo cackled and pulled away from Matt to embrace the small, elderly woman. “Matt, this is my grandmother.”

Still highly embarrassed, the man fought the chagrin and forced himself to smile, but surprisingly the woman simply shook his hand, holding it way longer than it was socially acceptable in the U.S. When Apollo finally said something to her, she released Matt’s hand and descended the stairs.   
  


“Oh my God,” Matt groaned. “What did she say?”

“Well when she first walked up, she said 'save some for me’ that’s why I laughed. Then she held onto your hand and probably undressed you with her eyes. So I told her to go supervise the cooking.”

“She’s something else.”

“Yeah, notice that she didn’t kiss your cheeks,” he chuckled.

Matt’s eyes grew wide causing Apollo to burst into laughter. He grabbed the man’s hand. “I’d better be careful before my grandmother steals my boyfriend.”

“Not even. Well, her eyes _are_ really pretty,” he joked.

Apollo shook his head. “Let’s go to the beach.”

—

Matt swirled his fingers in the white sand as he watched Apollo swim in the shallows  of the Mediterranean Sea.

“Babe, this is some of the most beautiful water I’ve ever seen. I’ve been to Bora Bora, Hawaii and Jamaica and this is right up there with them.”

“I’ve been all over the world and Crete is the most beautiful,” he said proudly.

Even though he wasn’t modeling, Matt thought the man looked like he’d just stopped off the cover of Elle magazine as he splashed around in the pristine waters.

He smiled at the love of Apollo had for his home and the fact that he was willing to share it with him made Matt feel special.

“What are you thinking about?” Apollo asked when he noticed how quiet his boyfriend was.

“You.”

“Then join me,” he said suggestively.

“Is the water cold?”

“Nope.”

Matt raised an eyebrow. “Are you lying?”

“I’d never lie to you, moró.”

The man began to ponder his decision, but before he could make one, his boyfriend came charging out the water towards him. He had enough time to squeal just as Apollo flopped on top of him, pressing Matt’s back into the sand.

“Babe,” he chuckled. “You’re all cold and wet!”

“Well you took too long to join me so I thought I’d join you.”

Matt wrinkled his nose. “Thank you.”

Apollo gazed down into his lover’s eyes and the sparks between them instantly ignited resulting in a steamy make out as the model settled between Matt’s legs.

Before long, things grew so hot that Apollo could feel the stiffening in his boyfriend’s crotch. The model slightly pulled away.

“I’m sorry,” Matt sighed.

“It’s okay.”

The man relaxed and attempted to pull his boyfriend close again, but Apollo became tense. Matt exhaled in exasperation.

“Matt… I-”

“No, it’s okay. Um, I really just want to shower. I feel gross.”

Apollo frowned as he sat up. Matt pushed himself out of the sand and stood before dusting himself off.

“Moró, I really am sorry.”

“Apollo, it’s okay,” he assured. “Let’s go back to the house.”

The man gave himself an internal kick,  but Matt grabbed his hand and they made their way along the beach.

—

As soon as the couple reached the threshold of the door, the blaring music and the strong scent of wine made it evident that the party had started without them.

“Opa!” one of Apollo’s cousins exclaimed as they pulled him and Matt into the circle that had formed around the living room.

“Whoa, what’s going on?” the foreigner asked.

“It’s the Zorba!” Apollo said excitedly as he linked arms with one of the other men in the middle of the circle as he family clapped to the beat.

Matt watched in awe as the fancily choreographed footwork came so effortlessly to the model. After Apollo and the cousin were done, the model’s mother and father along with another duo entered the circle and began to dance.

“That was awesome, babe!” Matt cheered.

“What can I say? I have a natural rhythm in my hips,” he chuckled.

“Good to know,” Matt said before Apollo’s grandmother grabbed his wrist to pull him into the circle. “Oh no, no, no,” he pleaded, turning to his boyfriend for help. “Tell her I really can’t dance. I have two left feet and I probably smell bad right now.”

“You don’t smell bad,” Apollo assured.

“Okay, but I really don’t want to do this,” he whined.

“Alright, alright,” Apollo relented, shooing his grandmother away as he pulled his boyfriend close to his side. He kissed the man’s hair. “We can leave if you want.”

A 'yes please’ was on the tip of Matt’s tongue but his behavior took him back to his previous relationship with the bratty man who refused to try anything new.

Not wanting to even be comparable to his ex, Matt took a deep breath, left the security of his boyfriend’s embrace and grabbed the elderly woman’s hand.

She grinned as she showed Matt the basic steps of the dance and laughed as he tried to copy it when he nearly fell over. But Matt continued to try and eventually began to laugh and enjoy himself. Since he couldn’t grasp the basic steps of the choreography, the man did his signature chicken dance causing the party to erupt in laughter.

“Apollo, parakaló voithíste!” several of them exclaimed.

Apollo entered the circle and linked arms with his boyfriend. “They told me to help you.”

Matt laughed. “Please do.”

“Right leg over left, back, then left leg over right and back again.”

“I’ll try.”

Matt lifted one leg to do the move that his boyfriend had showed him and immediately fell on his ass. Despite being embarrassed, he simply laughed and dusted himself off as Apollo helped him to his feet.

As soon as he became stable again, Matt jumped when the cold spray of the champagne hit him.

“Oh my God!” he said with a shiver.

“It’s for good luck,” Apollo informed.

“Filí! Filí! Filí!”

“What does that mean?”

“They want us to kiss for good luck.”  
  


Matt let out a nervous laugh before meeting his boyfriend’s lips with his causing the Greeks to explode in cheers.

“I feel so sticky now,” Matt chuckled with a wrinkled nose. “I need to shower.”

Apollo grabbed his boyfriend’s hand and led him towards the stairs but not before his mother stopped him to say something. Afterwards, she gave both of Matt’s cheeks soft kisses and let the boys continue up the steps.

“What did she say?” Matt asked.

“She said that she loved how you were clearly nervous at first but that it was awesome how just released your inhibitions and allowed yourself to have fun with the family.”

“Aw, I actually felt really comfortable after a while.”

Apollo smiled. “Everyone really likes you.”

“I bet that say that to everyone you bring home.”

“Actually… I’ve never brought anyone home before,” he quietly admitted.

“Really?”

Apollo shook his head.

“That must mean I’m pretty special.”

There was a long silence on the model’s end before he replied. “You are special.”

Apollo led his boyfriend to the bathroom. “The towels are here, soap is here- well, you already have soap.” He reached into the shower and turned the knob. “The hot is actually cold, the cold is actually hot and if the nozzle starts to squeal, bump this wall with your elbow. Damn contractor.”

Matt laughed.

“And I think that’s it,” Apollo said as he turned to his boyfriend.

“Thanks.”

They shared a tender kiss before the man giggled. “You really are sticky.”

Matt chuckled and raised his arms. “Help.”

The model slowly lifted the hem of his boyfriend’s shirt, making sure to graze his fingernails against the man’s bare skin as he removed the fabric completely.

The contact sent shivers down Matt’s back. They couple shared a passionate kiss then another, then another until Matt’s body was wrapped around Apollo’s again. And before things could get out of hand, the model had to grit his teeth as he pull away.

“Please,” Matt whimpered as he tried to hold him as close as possible. “I need you so much.”

“I’m sorry. Se agapó,” he said before freezing.

“What does that mean?”

“I love you,” Apollo exhaled.

Completely shocked, Matt gulped as he struggled to find the words to reply. “Apollo… I-”

“You don’t have to say anything, moró. I know you have your reservations but it’s how I feel. I think you’re perfect and I love you.”

Matt replied by pushing his boyfriend up against the wall in the most passionate kiss they’d ever shared.

He wasted no time pulling the model’s shirt up a few inches; letting his fingers trace the bare skin. Apollo let out a light moan, the delicate touch was driving him crazy.  
  
“Take it off,” Apollo exhaled.  
  
Matt obliged, letting his nails graze against the man’s sides as he pulled the shirt completely off and tossed it behind him. He shivered at the cool air blowing through the vents onto his skin.  
  
“Shower?” Matt asked suggestively.

After reuniting their lips, Matt expertly undid the Apollo’s belt and waited for the nod of approval before removing his shorts and boxers together in one swift motion. The physical aspects of the model’s nude body was just as perfect as the man had imagined.  
  
Apollo gasped after gaining permission to remove Matt’s clothes. He kissed the man before cupping his boyfriend’s ass and effortlessly lifting him off of the ground. Matt wrapped his arms around the man’s neck and they continued to make out while Apollo blindly stepped in the path of the hot water that’d been running for awhile now.   
  
The couple wasted no time kissing and grinding their bodies together under the stream.  
  
“Oh my God,” Matt moaned softly when the man’s erection rubbed against his. Apollo gripped both of their shafts into one strong hand and began to stroke them together.  
  
Matt threw his head back and melted into the flesh on flesh contact.  
  
“You’re so beautiful,” Apollo exhaled.  
  
The man pulled his model lover closer and began to ravish his neck in firm bites and tender kisses causing the man’s knees to go weak.

“Where is your bedroom again?” Matt asked.

“At the end of the hall on the left,” Apollo exhaled.  
  
At that, Matt turned off the shower and peeked out of the bathroom into the hallway. Since the coast was clear, the couple bolted out of the bathroom into Apollo’s old bedroom before locking the door and crashing onto the bed.

They laughed breathlessly as Apollo rolled his boyfriend onto his back. Matt felt his cock twitch in anticipation.   
  
“You look beautiful,” the model exhaled.  
  
Matt blushed. “Thank you.”  
  
Apollo leaned down and took his lover’s mouth against his in the most lusty manner that Matt had ever experienced causing his stomach to lurch. Completely over waiting anymore, Apollo passionately moved his lips from the other man’s down to his jawline and then neck and chest, all the way down until he reached down he moved to the foot of the bed, between the man’s legs.

Seeing how hard he made his lover was an immense turn on for him. He glanced up at Matt who was staring back at him through hooded, lust filled eyes. Without warning, the man took his boyfriend’s throbbing cock into his mouth.  
  
“Oh my God,” Matt gasped; hips bucking at the sudden explosion of pleasure.  
  
Apollo expertly worked his mouth along the man’s length; firmly sucking the tip then taking it pass the threshold of his throat.  
  
“Apollo,” he moaned. Matt entangled his fingers through the his lover’s dark wavy hair. “That feels so good, baby.”  
  
Encouraged by the praise, the model swirled his tongue around the head of the cock while one hand stroked him and the other gently massaged his balls. He continued on like this for only a few minutes but Matt was quickly brought to a climax.  
  
“Fuck,” the man panted as he writhed under his boyfriend’s touch. “I’m gonna come.”

Apollo took this as a personal challenged and practically swallowed his lover’s dick as hot cum shot out of tip and down the man’s throat. He swallowed every bit of it.  
  


“Holy shit,” Matt exhaled.

“That was awesome.”

“We aren’t done,” the man assured.

Apollo scoffed. “Oh, nobody said we were.”  
  
At the sound of the lusty aggression in his voice, Matt could feel himself getting hard all over again.

  
Apollo nervously bit down on his bottom lip before speaking. “Top or bottom?”

“It’s been a really long time, so I want you to take me,”  Matt simply whispered.   
  


The model’s smile was soft as he placed a pillow under the Matt’s lower back for comfort before spreading his legs. The man shivered at the erotic feeling when the Apollo suddenly licked his hole. His tongue teased at the entrance; flicking it and entering with just the tip.  
  
“Apollo, please don’t tease me,” he begged.  
  
“You’re so fucking beautiful,“ the model whispered before pushing himself away from the bed. He retrieved the small bottle of lube and a condom from his suitcase before returning to his lover’s side. Apollo popped the tube open and squirted some directly onto Matt’s hole.  
  
“Cold,” he giggled.  
  
Apollo smiled and kissed the his inner thigh. “Ready?”

When the man nodded, Apollo wasted no time driving two fingers inside of Matt; sliding them all the way in.

It was tight, but Matt’s pain dissipated within seconds.

Apollo slowly began to slide his fingers in and out, while his tongue teased around the entrance. After a while, Matt started to work his hips back and forth, fucking himself on his lover’s hand. He groaned out as he watched his boyfriend through lust filled eyes. Apollo then began to scissor his fingers; waving them back and forth, working Matt’s hole in preparation for something bigger and better.  
  
When the man’s fingers brushed against Matt’s prostate, he jumped at the contact.  
  
“Fuck! I forgot how good that feels. Please don’t stop.”  
  
Apollo chuckled and attempted to slide in a third finger. The pain that shot through the man made him wince, but he threw his head back and closed his eyes until it subsided. And when it did, he couldn’t take it anymore. “Apollo, please. I need you inside me.”  
  
Apollo didn’t need to be told twice. Matt eagerly watched as he sat back and opened a condom with his teeth.  
  
The model stole a kiss before rolling the condom down over his weeping erection, rubbing his hand along his own shaft to make sure it was in place. He squirted some more lube over his boyfriend’s hole before wiping the remainder over his cock. Apollo positioned himself over Matt; hips settling between the other man’s. The man instinctively wrapped his legs around Apollo’s waist, pulling him close.  
  
“Ready, moró?”  
  
“Yes,” Matt practically begged.  
  
When Apollo pressed the tip of his cock against the tight ring of muscle, he leaned down and kissed his boyfriend as he slowly entered the man. Matt winced in pain as his lover pushed past the entrance. Apollo stopped moving, watching in concern as his lover adjusted to the invasion. As soon as the pain gave way to a tingling sort of pleasure, the model took the cues and began to slide himself further in. Matt had been stretched well, but the width of Apollo’s hard cock was more than he was ready for. When the man attempted to push in a little further, Matt writhed in pain.  
  
“Ow,” he whimpered. “It hurts so much.”  
  
“I’m sorry,” Apollo whispered. “Do you want me to stop?”  
  
“No,” he assured. “Just add some more lube.”  
  
“Of course. As much as you need.”  
  
“I feel like a virgin again.”  
  
Apollo giggled as he added more lube to his cock and Matt’s hole. The couple shared a few passionate lip locks before  trying again.  
  


Matt held his breath as his boyfriend entered him.  Apollo took his time and kissed him all over his face, whispering how beautiful he was and how good he felt wrapped around him. The model’s words eased the tension building inside the man and he found himself letting go; finally gaining control of his breathing and becoming lost in the pleasure Apollo was bringing him.  
  
The model slowly began to slide in and out so Matt pulled his legs tighter around the man’s waist while his arms were wrapped around his back; holding him close as they built up a steady rhythm.  
  
With each thrust, Matt let out a pleasure filled moan.  
  
“You feel so good, moró,” Apollo whispered as he picked up the pace.  
  
“Oh my God,” the brunette groaned loudly when the head of Apollo’s cock tapped his prostate. As soon as the man found the spot, he began to pound against it relentlessly. Matt dug his nails into his boyfriend’s back and the model immediately pulled the man’s hands away and pinned them to the bed.

“I have a Clinique ad coming up. How will I explain the scratches on my back?” he chuckled.

“I’m sorry,” Matt panted. “You just feel so fucking good- oh God!” The man continued to moan, gripping the sheets as pleasure consumed every inch of his body.  
  
Immensely turned on by his boyfriend’s moans and facial expressions, Apollo’s own moaning grew louder as he pounded into the man. His hand drifted between the two and he grabbed Matt’s cock; nearly sending the his lover over the edge.  
  
The moans that escaped Matt’s lips were unintelligible, but he was too lost in sheer ecstasy to care.  
  
“Oh my God, Apollo, I’m close.”   
  
“Me too,” he panted as he continued to stroke his boyfriend with perfectly timed pumps against his prostate.

“But I don’t want you to stop,” Matt whimpered as his toes began to curl. “Please.”

When Apollo replied by whispering Greek into Matt’s ear, the man was a goner.   
  
“Fuck!” he moaned as he felt the floodgates open and the euphoria of the massive prostate orgasm wash over him. It was the most intense climax he’d  experienced in years and he exploded over himself and his boyfriend with a loud whimper that nearly brought tears to his eyes.  
  
Apollo followed closely behind; gently pulling out and tossing the condom aside to stroke himself a few times until he erupted with a roar; shooting load after load of cum onto Matt’s stomach.  
  
Neither caring about the hot spillings between them, Apollo collapsed on top of Matt; gently kissing him before rolling them onto their sides. “I love you, Matt. I really do. I don’t care if you don’t feel that way yet or if you ever will, but I think you’re just so perfect.”

Matt responded by pulling the man into a passion kiss that expressed how he felt without words.  
  
The couple continued to make out as their breathing and heart rates returned to normal. Apollo kissed his lover’s nose before pushing himself off of the bed. He wet a small towel with warm water and affectionately wiped Matt’s stomach to clean up their mess. He tossed the cloth into the hamper of dirty clothes and returned to the bed.

“Are you okay?” Apollo asked.

“I’m fucking amazing. I mean, I don’t think I can walk, but would needs to walk when you can have sex like that?”

Apollo laughed and kissed his lover’s shoulder.

“How are you?”

The man replied in Greek.

“What does that meannn?”

“I don’t know the English translation.”

Matt scoffed. “Yes you do! Tell meeeee.”

“Nope, nope, nope. I have no idea.”

The man groaned and plopped his boyfriend with a pillow, initiating the type of pillow fight that you’d see a middle school slumber party.

Minutes later, Apollo heard his mother shout up the stairs like she did when he was younger.

“Dinner’s ready.”

“Will you carry me downstairs?”

“Of course, moró. But you might want to put some clothes on. Greeks are free but not that free.”

Matt laughed before tossing another pillow at his lover.

—

“Opa!” the family clamoured in unison when the couple entered the dining room. As soon as Apollo helped Matt into his seat, the dinner resembled the Be Our Guest number from Beauty and the Beast.

Food and drinks were piled high in front of him and he made it a point to taste everything. He loved most of what he tried, and if he didn’t, he faked it. The man was genuinely having a good time and even kept his smile soft when the elderly woman sat next to him with frisky hands underneath the table. 

“You were right, babe. Your mom’s moussaka is so much better than that restaurant’s.”

“Told you!”

“Don’t get used to it,” Matt teased.

The couple shared a quick kiss before ominous laughter spread amongst Apollo’s family.

“Why are they laughing?” Matt whispered.

“I don’t know,” Apollo replied before addressing his family. “Ti eínai asteío?”

Everyone continued to cackle before the man’s father finally responded. “Ypárchei agápi ston aéra,” he said before pausing.

“He said that there is love in the air.”

The couple was perplexed.

“‘Apollo, Apollo, aye yai yai’!” one of the cousins mocked, causing the room to erupt. The model finally got it and he flushed bright red in embarrassment.

“Wait, what?” Matt asked, still confused.

“They heard us having sex,” his boyfriend informed.

“Oh my God,” Matt groaned as he buried his face in his palms.

“Moró, I’m really sorry that they’re like this.”  
  


A heat wave surged through Matt’s body before he took a deep breath. “Well, it was amazing sex,” he said with a carefree shrug, confidently owning up to his actions.

Apollo let out a surprised chuckle making his family curious as to what they were now laughing. He told them and the man’s father stood and began to clap.

“Óti eínai to ellinikó prágma pou prépei na kánete!” he said proudly.

“My father says that was so Greek. Being confident about everything you do, no matter how embarrassing.”

“Well, I’m feeling a lot more confident lately.”

Apollo grinned, secretly hopeful that he had something to do with it.

“Boreíte na to párete apó ména,” the man’s father added.

“Oh my God,” Apollo laughed as he shook his head.

“What’d he say?”

“He said that I get my… bedroom skills…from him.”

Matt’s cackle made everyone else laugh and the entire room became a melting pot of positive energy as dinner continued late into the night.

—

“That was an interesting dinner,” Apollo said as he slid into bed next to his boyfriend.

“Yeah,” Matt said, tone a little somber.

The model’s eyebrows furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

“I just love it here, I love how amazing your family is and how quickly they’ve welcomed me in. I’ve never had a big family and my ex’s family treated me like shit so this is just really overwhelming. But in a good way,” he sniffled.

Apollo smiled. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”

The couple shared a kiss before Apollo rested his chin on Matt’s chest. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The man’s eyes grew wide, but he was certain that his boyfriend’s reply was a mistake; a slip up caused by mindlessly repeating the phrase after hearing it so much. “I’m sure you wanna take that back,” he chuckled.

“It was a slip up, but…I don’t take it back.”

Apollo met his boyfriend’s eyes. “Really?”

Matt nodded. “You’re just too good to be true. I can be my complete self with you and whatever that entails. Maybe I’m feeling insecure or bratty and you’re just there for it all. And if I whine, it doesn’t become a crybaby screaming match, you just handle it so well and I’m just not used to anyone like you.”

“Well, I work hard for everything I have. My career and even you. I know how to compromise.”

Matt practically melted at the word as he pulled his lover into an overly passionate kiss.

“Round two?” the man whispered against the model’s perfect lips.

“Can you be quieter this time?” Apollo challenged.

“I don’t know. You may have to gag me.”

“Ay yai yai,” he chuckled before another round of sexual escapades began.

—

Early the next morning, the couple awoke so that the photographer could get shots of his muse on the white sanded beaches of his homeland.

Afterwards, they had to pack for the flight home. And as they made their way out of the house, both were showered with mass amounts of outpouring love.

Apollo’s mother handed Matt a bracelet made out of sapphire beads.

“Oh my God!” he exclaimed. “This is beautiful. Efcharistó.”

She kissed both of his cheeks before demanding that Apollo inform the foreigner of the significance of the gift.

“Okay so there is an ancient superstition in the Greek Isles called the evil eye. It’s essentially bad luck that can strike at any given moment. Hmm,  let’s say for example, there was an occasion that you were dressed up and someone told you how nice you look. A few minutes later you spill coffee on yourself. Or maybe someone told you how beautiful your new vase was and soon after it falls to the ground, shattering into a thousand pieces. That’s the evil eye and blue is the color that wards it off. Blue trinkets, charms or jewelry all work.”

“Aw, okay. I love it even more now.” He turned to Apollo’s mother and thanked her once again before they all shared cheek kisses and promises to see each to each other again soon.

—

Matt placed his feet on the wooden coffee table as he settled back onto the beige sectional and Apollo’s shoulder. “Suicide Squad or Zootopia?”

The man scoffed. “Suicide Squad.”

Matt grinned. It felt amazing to be on the same page with someone with something as simple as a movie. “My thoughts exactly.”

“I’ll make some popcorn.” Apollo kissed his lover’s hair before pushing himself off of the couch.

Moments later, a loud banging sounded at the door.

“Want me to get it?” Apollo asked.

“Nah, I got it. It’s probably the pizza.”

Matt eagerly pushed himself off of the couch and towards the exit. When he opened the door, the man felt a nauseating combination of emotions as Jason stood on his porch.

“Babe!” the brunette squealed as he threw his arms around his ex-husband. “I knew I’d find you here when you weren’t at the house. I’m so sorry I was gone so long, but I’m not mad at you anymore. I never want us to fight again because that was the longest three weeks of my life.”

Matt tried to wrap his mind around what the man was saying but was even more confused when Jason grabbed his face and pressed their lips together.

“Fuck, I missed you.”

“What’s going on?” Apollo asked when he rounded the corner into the living room.

“Who is this?” Jason demanded.

When Apollo got a good look at him, he recognized his boyfriend’s ex. “Do you need a moment alone to talk, moró?”

Jason pouted as he began to hyperventilate. “Are you cheating on me?”

“Cheating on you?” Matt finally asked in disbelief. “Are you insane or something? You dumped me!”

“Just because we had a fight doesn’t mean that we broke up! We literally just celebrated our anniversary and-”

“You served me divorce papers! I signed them a week ago and I’ve been waiting for my ring since!”

The color faded from Jason’s face. “I’m gonna be fucking sick. Like where are the hidden cameras because I really can’t handle this obvious joke,” he said weakly on the verge of tears.

Matt was utterly perplexed, but instead of adding flames to the fire with more words, he rushed to his file cabinet, pulled out a copy of the divorce papers and handed them to his ex-husband.

Jason quickly scanned over the pages and confused was an understatement. “I’ve never seen this document before in my life! Matt, what the fuck! I’d never divorce you!"


	6. Chapter 6

_“Matt, what the fuck! I’d never divorce you!”  
_

_—_

_Three weeks earlier…_

“Jason, please,” Matt practically begged. “If you care about our marriage and what I have to say to try to fix it, then you’d talk to me outside in private right now.”

Jason sniffled as he hesitantly pushed himself off of the couch.

“Sei sicuro?” Vinny asked.

The brunette nodded and made his way to the patio quickly followed by his husband who immediately began to defend himself.

“Jason, I know that hearing something like that must’ve hurt like hell and I’ll never forgive myself for it. Although I didn’t want to, I _did_ marry you and I’ve been thankful for you everyday since our wedding.”

Jason’s demeanor was unwavering as he continued to cry.

“Pumpkin,” Matt pleaded as he grabbed Jason’s hands and sank to his knees. “I’ll get on my fucking knees to tell you that just because you I didn’t want to be married, doesn’t mean I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life with you. A marriage license is a piece of paper that doesn’t mean shit without the bond that we have.”

The brunette slowly pulled his hands away.

“Do you forgive me?” his husband asked, tone filled with hope.

“I just want to go home,” he sniffled.

Matt tried to suppress his heartache. “If that’s what you need to do to get your head clear, then I fully support that.” He returned to his feet and attempted to hug his husband but Jason shook his head.

“I can’t.”

It was like a dagger to Matt’s heart. He  tried to find his voice, but it came out as weaker than he’d hoped. “Well, I hope you have a safe trip. I love you.”

Without a response or even a glance, Jason turned on his heel and returned inside the house. He made his way to the living room where Vinny and Sophia looked at him through worried eyes.

The brunette sniffled and grabbed his suitcases. “I’m ready to go.”

“Then let’s go,” Sophia said. “The jet’s waiting.”

“Like I can’t even carry this,” the brunette said in dramatic fashion as he dropped his luggage before storming out of the house.

Vinny bent down to pick up the suitcases but the green eyed girl snapped at him.

“Leave it. He can buy new clothes.”

The elderly man sighed before following the girl out of the house and into their limo.

—

Jason spent the entire flight to Atlanta crying hysterically and when he arrived, the man had an entire staff to console his whines and tend to every one of his requests.

As he ignored his husband’s telephone calls and text messages, Jason indulged in thousands of dollars worth of retail therapy and spa treatments until that began to bore him.

“Come to work with me,” Sophia suggested.

“I’d rather chew glass.”

“Jason, it’s not that bad. You’ve never even been to our headquarters.”

“Because I don’t like the business side of things, it’s so messy.”

“It’s not messy when you’re in control of everything.”

“I’ll pass.”

Sophia covered her face with both hands and began to weep, catching her brother completely off guard. He could count the number of times he’d seen the girl cry on one hand and seeing her so emotional put him on the verge of tears himself.

“Aw, Soph, what’s wrong?”

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to run a billion dollar company on my own? From our horses to the material imports to each and every stock, it’s so stressful. It benefits all of us and you don’t even want to help,” she got out before her tears muffled out her voice.

Jason exhaled loudly. “I didn’t know it was so stressful to you. I mean, if you want help while I’m here then I’ll do what I can.”

Sophia wiped her eyes as she composed herself. “Thank you.”

Jason smiled and pulled his sister into an embrace. “So what do you wear to meetings because I wanna look really cute. I need to be business fish and I don’t think my assless chaps will work.”

Sophia laughed. “You’re crazy.”

“Duh,” he chuckled. “I’m happy I came home.”

“Me too,” she sighed.

—

The next morning, the employees of Dardo Incorporated scurried about to make sure everything was perfect when they saw their young boss saunter towards the entrance. Dressed in her perfectly tailored Armani suit, the girl resembled Miranda in _The Devil Wears Prada_ as her wide eyed brother followed close behind.

“Good morning, Ms. Dardo,” Sophia’s assistant greeted her at the door with her caffè macchiato, cooled to exactly ninety degrees with extra foam and a light caramel drizzle.

She grabbed the cup without missing a beat of her strut. “Thanks, Shane. Take my brother’s order.”

“What can I get you, Mr. Dardo?”

“That’s Mr. Lent,” he corrected.

Panic quickly washed over Shane’s face  as he glanced at Sophia.

Jason was thrown off by the sudden change in the man’s demeanor. “You okay?”

He shot a terrified look in Sophia’s direction. When he saw that she’d moved on and was now being greeted by other employees, he leaned in towards Jason. “She doesn’t like mistakes,” he whispered.

“Oh yeah, she’s a bitch,” Jason said matter of factly.

Shane gasped, fearful that the conversation would get back to his boss, he quickly changed the subject. “I apologize for the use of the wrong name. Is there anything I can get you, Mr. Lent?”

“Do you have orange juice?”

“I’ll get anything you want.”

“Hmm…then I’ll have orange juice and a croissant.”

“I’ll be right back with that,” the man said with a smile before rushing away.

“Cool,” he chirped.

Sophia impatiently rolled her eyes from the elevator. “Get your ass over here and stop acting like you’ve never ordered food before.”

Jason skipped through the lobby of the immaculate corporate office towards the glass elevator.

“I love what you’ve done with the place. This is amazing.”

“Well Dad had all that dark brown everywhere and it was hideous. No wonder he lost his mind.”

Her brother simply shook his head as the lift stopped on their desired floor. When the siblings entered the room, everyone stopped what they were doing, stood and greeted them as they passed.

“Good morning, Ms. Dardo. Good morning, Mr. Dardo.”

“That’s Mr. Lent,” Jason quickly corrected. “Do I need a name tag or something?”

The employees shared panicked looks amongst themselves before a flood of apologies filled the room.

The tension that filled the air made Jason uneasy but he kept his mouth shut until he followed his sister into her overly luxurious office.

“What are you doing to these people?” he asked with a chuckle. “Why are they so jumpy?”

The girl sat at her swarovski crystallized desk topped with photos of her, her fiancée and her son. “I don’t know why they’re jumpy. I don’t pay attention to them.” There was a knock on her door. “Come in.”

Shane entered with Jason’s food. “Here you are, Mr. Lent.”

“Thanks.”

“Shane what does my schedule look like today?” his boss asked.

The man quickly pulled out his iPad mini and checked the calendar. “You have a meeting with the Dam-Mikkelsens about buying land to expand their chicken farms at nine.”

“Ugh, that’s gonna last forever. Those people don’t know how to shut up. What else?”

“Scout has a dentist appointment at eleven.”

“He hates the dentist so have Advil for my headache ready afterwards. What’s after that?”

“You’re scheduled to go to the stables to check out the new stallions that just arrived from Arabia and sign their paperwork. After that you have a meeting with Danny and Max Malanaphy about business inquiries.”

“I didn’t know Max was in town,” Jason commented.

The man continued to list off the girl’s schedule. “The fabric and paint swatches for the new office downtown need to be chosen. Scout has swim lessons anddd, oh! You have a meeting with Vera Wang to discuss your wedding dress.”

“All this is supposed to be done in one day?” Jason asked in disbelief.

“Now you see why I’m stressed,” Sophia groaned as she took a sip of her coffee, before spitting it out the second it hit her tongue. “Damn it, Shane it’s cold!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Ms. Dardo,” her assistant said nervously. “But rest assured, when I handed it to you, it was the temperature that you like. Maybe you waited a little too long and-”

“Are you blaming me?!” Sophia tossed the cup of coffee across the room, causing it to land on the plush, cream colored carpeting in a loud splatter. “Get me another and make it right this time!”

Shane flinched. “I’ll be right on it,” he said weakly before rushing out of the room.

“What the hell, Sophia,” said her brother, caught off guard, but not at all surprised by her behavior. “We passed a microwave on our way in here, you could’ve just heated it up.”

“He should’ve gotten it right the first time. I’m not paying him to fuck up.”

“Fair enough. So do you pay him to clean up messes too because that coffee is gonna be a bitch to get up.”

“No that’d be a waste of time. I needed a new carpet anyway.” She pressed a button on the phone that topped her desk, allowing her voice to be heard over the loudspeaker. “Shane, order new carpeting for my office!”

Jason laughed. “So what do you need me to do?”

“Do you know how to use a fax machine?”

“That’s the thing that people sit on and print their ass cheeks right?”

Sophia exhaled and pressed the button on her telephone. “Alisa, get your ass in here.”

Within seconds a beautiful woman in a business casual suit entered the room.

“Yes?” she replied.

“Show Jason how to use the fax machine so that he can start sending the Johansson account their paperwork.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Nice to meet you,” the man chirped.

The woman extended her hand. “Alisa Summers.”

“This isn’t a fucking tea party,” Sophia snapped. “Go do what I told you. Or would you prefer to be demoted yet again? I know that there is evidence that you were fucking my father while he was here, and instead of quitting you allow me to speak to you this way because if you leave you know that you’ll be ruined. Hmm, I’d rather work in a corporate office and be belittled daily over working at McDonald’s as well.”

Jason covered his mouth to suppress his gasp at the verbal slaughter.

“Now get out of my face and go make your eighteen dollars an hour!”

Alisa gritted her teeth. “Yes, Ms. Dardo,” she said before turning on her heel and exiting the room.

“Sophia,” Jason gasped in dramatic fashion. “No wonder these people are so jumpy! Do you verbally abuse all of your employees?”

“Jason, go do your job,” his sister said dismissively. “And afterwards I want you to meet with Danny and Max while I take Scout to his appointment and sign off on the horses. Then we’ll meet up after lunch and see what else needs to be done. We’re splitting the workload.”

“Oh my God, yes! My first job!”

“Good luck and don’t fuck it up.”

Jason squealed before skipping out of the room.

—

“You put the page in here, type in the fax number and then press send,” Alisa informed, clearly suppressing an attitude as she showed Jason the basic function of the fax machine.

“Okay, but where is the thing that copies ass cheeks?”

“That’s the copier. It’s behind you.”

“Sweet.”

“So do you think you have the hang of this?”

Jason nodded. “Absolutely.”

“Alright, then I’ll get going.”

“Okay, if I need anything I’ll just holler,” he joked, but when he looked up, the woman was nowhere to be found. “Well damn.”

Jason glanced around the corner and down the hallway. Once he saw that the coast was clear, he tiptoed over to the copier. “Hmm… number of copies? One hundred…color, so we can get the full effect…anddd start.” The brunette pressed the button before laughing maniacally as he unbuttoned his pants and sat on the machine; giggling when the light underneath the glass screen scanned his ass. After the pages started to print, he slid off of the machine and secured his belt around his waist.

“Awesome,” Jason chuckled to himself when he grabbed the first print of his ass. “One down. Ninety-nine to go.”

After watching page after page print, the easily distracted man eventually remembered that he was supposed to be faxing the stack of papers. Jason blew a raspberry as he returned to the fax machine.

“Okay Alisa said put the number innn,” he said as he entered the coordinating fax digits. “Then put the paper in.” He grabbed a few of the pages and stuffed them all into the scanner. “Andddd send!”

Jason pressed the large green button.  The machine attempted to process the pages, but the excessive amount caused them to become stuck. Jason frowned when it began to beep.  

“What the fuck,” the brunette mumbled as he read the screen. “Paper jam?”

Jason grabbed the top of the pages and attempted to pull them out but they wouldn’t budge. “Ugh, stupid bullshit.” He stormed into the hallway. “Alisa!”

The man waited for a response, when he got nothing, he decided to go look for the woman.

“Did we come from this way…or from that way?” he asked himself as he made his walked down the long hallway lined with file cabinets. The man groaned in exasperation but regained hope when he found an elevator. Jason climbed into the lift and his eyebrows instantly furrowed. “Where to? The second floor will do.” He chuckled at the rhyme.

Jason pressed the button and moments later, the elevator doors slid open to a bright white room with vending machines. “Yes,” he cheered to himself as he skipped towards the candy machine. “I’m in dire need of a Snickers.”

“She’s such a fucking bitch,” Jason overheard a female voice emanate from down the hallway.

“Kim, do your impersonation of her again,” another voice said excitedly. Jason instantly recognized it as Shane.

The first voice put on a frantic, nearly deranged dialect. “Shane! Get my fuck-ing coffee, now! Do you want a job or would you rather flip burgers like the rest of your family?! Did you wake up on the wrong side of your trailer this morning?! Get the molasses out of your ass and do what I told you!”

The room burst into laughter.

“That gets me everytime,” Shane chuckled.

“Yeah and well now that her brother’s working here too, it’s gonna be hell,” the third female voice groaned.

“He actually seems really nice,” Shane defended.

Jason smiled. “Duh.”

“Pfft, he’s a Dardo,” Kim scoffed. “That diamond spoon he was born with is all that matters.”

Jason’s smile quickly morphed into a frown before he followed the voices down a small hallway into another room.

The three employees sat at a small table that was clearly set up as their break room. When they saw Jason, they all gasped and flushed a bright red hue in sheer embarrassment.

M-M-Mr. Dardo,” Shane stammered in attempt to recover. “W-We-”

“My name is Mr. Lent,” he groaned.

“We’re really sorry Mr. Lent,” the dark haired woman offered.

“What’s your name?”

“Kennedy.”

“Well, Kennedy, just because I was born a Dardo, doesn’t mean that I’m an asshole.”

“Oh, we didn’t say that you were an asshole,” Kim defended.

“But y’all just said that because I’m of Dardo blood that’s gonna bring hell! And you called my sister a bitch,” he said with a frown. “Only I can call her that.”

The three of them quickly attempted to defend themselves and apologize, voices overlapping in loud pleas.

“Okay, okay,” Jason got out, effectively shutting them up. “I won’t tell Sophia…just as long as you impersonate her again,” he chuckled.

The trio smiled as Kim hunched her shoulders and gritted her teeth. “Damn it, Shane! You fucked up my order!” She simulated throwing food onto the floor. “Clean that shit up! Nevermind, just order an entire new tenth floor! Where’s Kennedy?! Tell Kennedy I need the Mattel account _now_!”

Jason laughed in disbelief. “Is she seriously like that all the time?”

The three of them nodded.

“Then why do you stay?”

“Well, I’ve been fired three times,” Shane admitted. “But she always calls the next morning like ‘where the hell are you?!’ and I go, 'um, Ms. Dardo, you fired me’ and she’s like 'well, you’re rehired. Get your ass to the office now!’”

Jason cackled. “She’s crazy.”

“Plus, I have a stay at home husband and two kids to take care of and this job pays really well,” Kennedy sighed. “But I’m starting to wonder if saying 'fuck my life’ every morning is worth it.”

“Same,” the other two exhaled.

Jason simply shook his head. “I’d better get back to my job before she fires me too.”

“What’s your job?” asked Shane.

“I have to fax some papers but the machine is totally fucked. I was actually looking for Alisa when I found you guys.”

“Alisa,” Kim scoffed.

“Mhm,” Kennedy hummed before the they both laughed.

“Spill the tea!” Jason demanded.

“She’s known as 'Alisa Summer, Spring, Winter and Fall. A woman open for business year round,” Kennedy whispered.

“Well damn,” Jason chuckled. “I’m actually impressed.”

“She’s been with every man in the office. All except Shane. But he likes sugar in his tank so he doesn’t count,” Kim added.

“Hey, that’s neither here nor there,” the man retorted. “But I did make out with her last year at the Christmas party.”

“Hmm, so that _was_ a herpes sore and not a rash,” Kennedy joked before she, Kim and Jason cackled.

“So is this where employees gather to talk shit?”

“Pretty much,” Shane replied.

“I’m living for it,” Jason admitted before checking his watch. “Ugh, I’d better go.”

“I could look at the fax machine for you,” Kim offered.

“Thank you,” Jason said.

“Well that’s something you don’t hear around here often,” Shane sighed before making his way towards the elevator.

—

Kim lifted the lid of the fax machine and pulled the jammed pages out by the bottom.

“There you go. You can only do ten pages at a time, but you have to put them in here.” She directed his attention to another slot in the machine. “And I’ll reprint these top pages so that you don’t have to explain why the Johansson account looks like paper-mache.”

“Thank you so much!” Jason chirped.

“Anytime,” she said with a smile. Kim turned on her heel to leave before catching a glimpse of Jason’s ass copies. “What on Earth-”

“It’s my ass! I’m gonna pin them around the office just like they do in the movies.”

Kim cackled. “That’s amazing.”

“I know right!” Jason pulled the woman into a hug.

She flinched at first but then relented to the unusual workplace embrace.

“I’ll see you around,” the man said with a friendly smile.

“See ya…” Kim said before rushing to return to her desk before her boss noticed.

—

Jason sauntered into the meeting room with a briefcase filled with the Malanaphy account information.

“Oh my goodness,” Max chuckled in disbelief. “What are you doing here?”

“If you must know, I work here,” Jason said in old Hollywood fashion. “How does this suit look?”

“Is it Versace? I love it and the vintage cufflinks are to di-”

“Can we get to business?” Danny asked impatiently.

“Sorry darling,” Max sighed.

Although the man could be an asshole at times, Jason knew that Danny was a better man for his best friend than Jake so he just rolled his eyes at moments like these. He sat down.

“So what can we at Dardo Incorporated do for you over at Malanaphy Oil?”

“We want-” Max began before his fiancé cut him off again.

“We want to discuss Dardo Inc. using Malanaphy oil products somewhere within your company. Every since this environmental responsibility shit picked up, people are turning their noses up at fossil fuels.”

“I agree with it,” Max mumbled.

Danny shot him an incomprehensible glare.

“I mean, I agree that we want you to feature our products somehow, darling.”

“I think it’s a great idea,” Jason admitted. “I’d have to sit down with my sister to see how it’d worked, but I’m sure she can figure it out. I’d love to go into business with my best friendddd.”

Max’s smile was soft.

“So when’s the big day?”

“We haven’t decided on a da-”

“December 20th would be perfect if someone would get their shit together,” Danny said underhandedly.

Max exhaled in exasperation and for the first time, Jason noticed the dark bags under his friend’s eyes. The man was clearly sleep deprived with skin made blotchy by alcohol binges.

“When did you get back in town, Max?” his friend asked.

“The day after your anniversary party.”

“We haven’t had much time to catch up since then. Why don’t you have a sleepover at my place tonight?”

“Nice try, Jason,” Danny chuckled. “But my Max has been away from me enough. We still have a lot of catching up to do ourselves,” he said suggestively. The man stole a kiss from his fiancé’s tense lips.

“I mean if Max is okay with it.”

“It’s fine,” he sighed.

“Well, that’s too bad. I really wanted to get you caught up on what happened at my party. Ya know…Jake was there.”

Max shot his friend a wide eyed, panicked glance.

“Who is Jake?”

“Our old friend from high school,” Jason said with a shrug. “I hate him, but he was pretty close to Max back in the day.”

“Oh?” Danny asked, tone curious.

“On second thought, I think I will accept your sleepover invitation,” Max said through gritted teeth.

—

“Why would you say that?!” Max demanded as he paced his friend’s bedroom.

“Because you look like hell and I knew you wouldn’t come with me unless I provoked you,” Jason replied from his bed as he slid pictures into chic frames designated to decorate his work desk in the morning.

“I just haven’t been able to sleep, eat without holding it down- I’m just riddled with guilt. Jake was a huge mistake.”

“Agreed.”

“He’s just not right for me,” Max exhaled as he continued to pace.

“Nope.”

“He does delinquent things like joy riding and shoplifting from gas stations.”

“Unacceptable.”

“He’s loud and obnoxious and…and funny.”

“Funny-looking,” Jason retorted.

“And he can be really sweet at times. And he doesn’t judge me or-”

“Or cut you off. But that’s neither here or there.”

“And he’s really… _really_ good in bed,” Max exhaled.

“What about Danny?”

“He’s okay but I’ve had to fake it for the past two nights.”

Jason gasped. “That should be illegal!”

“I love him but…everytime I close my eyes to kiss him…all I see is Jake,” he sniffled.

“Max,” his friend exhaled sympathetically. “Jake is just like a drug you have to get out if your system. And once you get over him, you’ll be completely satisfied with Danny again.”

Max dragged his hands down his face. “I need a drink.”

“There’s Merlot in the main floor kitchen. Could you get me a glass too?”

“Of course, darling,” Max sighed. The second he exited the room, the man burst into tears.

—

The next morning at work, Sophia led her brother to his brand new office.

“Oh my God, it looks so good in here!”

“I had a design team come in overnight. I know your usual style is more gaudy, but your office can’t be better than mine.”

“No, it’s perfect.”

“Out of the window, you should have an amazing view of downtown. Not as good as my view, but it’s good enough for you,” the green eyed girl teased.

“I don’t need a view,” he said as he began to place the framed photos on his desk.

“Once you’re finished with that, I need you to fax some more paperwork. And while I meet with Max and Danny to discuss how they can fit into our company, you can check the stocks.”

“How do I do that?”

“Sutan will show you.”

Sophia walked over to the desk. “Your phone also has an intercom,” she said before pushing the button. “Sutan, you need to be in Jason’s office within the next thirty seconds or you’re fired.”

“Sophia, you don’t need to say all that,” her brother assured.

“You operate a gay household, I operate a billion dollar company, let’s stick to what we know,” she retorted with sass.

“You’re a dick.”

She folded her arms. “Is that why you think you can take me head-on?”

Jason rolled his eyes just as the tall elderly man knocked on the glass door.

“Come in,” his boss ordered.

The lanky, grey haired man opened the door and entered the room with a slow gait.  

“Today old man,” she groaned.

“Sophia,” Jason reprimanded.

“Yes, Ms. Dardo?” Sutan asked in a weak voice.

“Show Jason how to check the stocks. He also needs to know what’s up and what’s down, how to buy and sell, etc.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

Sophia pressed the intercom button. “Shane, I need my coffee, now!” She shouted before storming out of the room.

“I’m sorry about her,” Jason offered.

“It’s okay,” the man said as he made his way to the bookshelf, continuing to speak. “I’ve been with this company for fifty years and I’ve seen way worse tempers than Ms. Dardo.”

“Fifty years…so you worked with my grandpa?”

“Yes, I did. A much, much simpler time.” He placed the books on Jason’s desk just as his sister returned to the room. “I forgot to tell you that Jacob is bringing Scout over for lunch and- old man, what did I tell you about using the books? The stock market is online now.”

“But this is how I’ve done is since 1966, I update them twice a day and they’re just as accurate.”

“Do you like having this job?!” Sophia exploded. “I’ve had trainer after trainer teach you the new system and yet you refuse to conform. Insubordination!”

“Ms. Dardo, I-I-” he stammered.

“Soph, get out of here or I’ll show the entire office pictures of you during your awkward phase.”

His sister scowled before slamming the glass door so hard that Jason thought it’d shatter.

“Yeah, I’ve seen way worse. Or at least I tell myself that to make coming to work easier,” he chuckled.

Jason laughed as Sutan opened the first book to his last entry. He groaned before stretching. “Okay, so-”

“Take my seat,” Jason offered as he pushed himself out of his chair.

“Oh, no I can’t-”

“I insist. If you’ve been here since the 60s then you deserve it.”

It was obvious that nobody had ever said that to the man before. His smile was soft as he sat in Jason’s chair.

Sutan then began to explain the stock system and although it took Jason several hours to comprehend it, the elderly man displayed saint like patience when he whined due to the kindness the brunette had showed him.

—

By the time Jason finally got the hang of the stocks, lunch had rolled around. Sophia’s fiancé met them in the lobby with Scout in his arms.

Jason had forgotten how cute the blonde haired blue eyed boy was, and football had done his body good.

“Hey, babe,” Jacob said before kissing the green eyed girl. “Ready?”

“Yeah and we’re still going to Lindsey’s bakery afterwards for cake tasting, right?”

“Sophia, I don’t have time,” he said in exasperation. “I already left practice early to pick up Scout and I have to be back on the field at one.”

The girl scowled. “You never have time for anything. I have Scout most of the time and I’m planning this fucking wedding all by myself. The least you can do is taste the fucking cake.”

“Sophia, I do my best. I’m sorry I have school and football.”

“Then quit!”

“Why would I quit my dream?! So you can control everything that I do?!”

Scout burst into tears at the sound of his parents arguing.

“Aww, no baby,” Sophia cooed as she reached for him. “I’m sorry your daddy is a big jerk who scared you.”

“Oh my God, you’re so ridiculous,” Jacob mumbled.

“You’re an asshole,” she retorted.

Jason groaned and grabbed Scout out of his sister’s arms. “Just getting my nephew out of the line of fire.”

Sophia wanted to protest but when Jacob turned on his heel to exit, she couldn’t help but explode as she followed him.

“Where do you think you’re going?! Oh okay, so now you’re just gonna walk away from your fiancée and your son?! What kind of man…”

Sophia’s voice faded out when Jason walked in the opposite direction towards the elevator.

He made his way to the break room where he’d first met some of the Dardo Inc employees and sure enough, they were there for lunch. In addition to the three he already knew, there were now people he didn’t recognize and when Jason entered the room, they froze.

“No, it’s okay,” Jason assured. “I don’t want to interrupt. We just came to eat.”

“No, guys it’s alright,” Shane assured. “He’s cool.”

“Fuck yeah I’m cool,” Jason chuckled.

“And his last name is Lent, not Dardo,” Kennedy informed before anyone could make the mistake.

“Yep.”

“And he’s the one who posted pictures of his ass everywhere,” Kim added with a cackle.

“That was you?” a redheaded man asked in disbelief. “Robbie got fired for that yesterday.”

“Oh no,” Jason said sympathetically. “I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“Well it did,” someone else said with an obvious attitude. “None of you people care about your employees.”

Jason frowned. “You people?”

The bold woman stepped forward. “Yes. You Dardos don’t give a damn about us. Never have and probably never will.”

“Vivienne, chill,” Kim whispered.

“First of all, I’m no longer a Dardo. My name is Jason Lent. And secondly, if you don’t think we care, you’re wrong.”

The woman scoffed. “Someone got fired because of you and you didn’t even blink an eye. And if I get fired for saying all of this then so be it because I’m sick and tired of the way people are being treated at this company. It’s abusive and probably illegal and I hope it shuts down.”

“Then why don’t you quit?” someone in the back asked as if it was the obvious solution.

Vivienne folded her arms. “My sugar daddy won’t pay for my shoe addiction anymore. He says they’re too expensive and his wife is starting to get suspicious.”

“Well if the company shuts down, you won’t be able to pay for your shoes either, stupid,” Kennedy retorted.

“Somebody’s about to be firedddd,” someone in the back teased.

“Fuck,” Vivienne groaned as she palmed her face.

“Look, nobody’s getting fired,” Jason assured. “But I’m not some asshole either. Does anyone know this Robbie guy’s number? I need to call and let him know that he still has his job.”

Vivienne raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes really! Do you have his number or address? Quickly because I wanna get back to lunch. Me and Scout are hungry as fuck.”

“I have Robbie’s number,” Shane said as he scrolled through his phone.

“Call him.”

The blonde man selected the other man’s contact and handed it to Jason. It rang for awhile before a groggy voice answered.

“Hello?”

“Hello, is this Robbie?”

“Yes…who is this?”

“This is Jason Lent, official fax machine operator at Dardo Inc. and I just wanted to call and let you know that you can have your job back. It was my ass cheeks plastered everywhere, so my sister had no right to fire you.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah…sorry.”

“I’d love my job back. I have a family I had no idea how I was gonna take care of,” he sniffled.

“Well get yourself a good night’s sleep and be ready for work in the morning.”

“Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome,” Jason chirped before hanging up. “Shane could you order us pizza?”

“Um, sure.”

“Enough pizza to feed everyone in this building.”

“That’s amazing,” Vivienne chuckled.

Jason smirked. “And charge it to Sophia Dardo.”

—

Jason and Scout enjoyed their lunch with the employees of Dardo Inc before they all thanked the brunette as they returned to work.

“Is it good pizza, Scout?” Jason asked his nephew.

“Ya,” the toddler said with nod before stuffing another pepperoni into his mouth.

“Ready to go back to your mama?”

Scout nodded, grabbed a slice to-go and climbed out of his chair before Jason picked him up and headed towards the elevator.

When they made it to Sophia’s office, Jason was surprised to see his sister sitting calmly at her desk as she scrolled through files on her computer.

“Mama,” Scout said as he reached for her.

Sophia quickly pushed herself out of her seat. “Hey, my love! What do you have?”

The toddler placed the pizza in her hand.

“Yum! Where did you guys go for pizza?” she asked her brother.

“It was delivered. I bought enough for the entire office, well actually you did.”

She frowned but quickly let it go. “Thanks for looking after him while I was gone.”

“Oh course, he’s my nephew. And it’s practice for the cousin he’s bound to have soon.”

Sophia let out a soft laugh and it made her brother uneasy.

“You didn’t kill Jacob and bury his remains somewhere did you?”

“No, I followed him out to his car where we argued for about twenty minutes.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“Don’t be…we made up,” she said with a wink. “So if I’m in a good mood for the rest of the day, you know why.”

“Barf.”

“Get out of my office and get back to work.”

“Gladly. I’ll see you later, Scout.” He kissed the toddler’s hair before exiting the room.

—

Over the next week and a half, Jason spent everyday in the basement break room, growing closer and closer to the Dardo Inc. employees.

After lunch one day, he passed Sophia’s office on the way to his, but she yelled to stop him.

“Jason get in here!”

“Oh, fuck,” he mumbled before slowly entering the room. “What’s up?”

She slapped a piece of paper onto her desk. “Look at this.”

Jason gulped and reluctantly approached Sophia’s desk. To his surprise, the paper had numbers and graphs. He studied the page and it’s contents for a minute and when he still didn’t understand it, Sophia spoke again.

“Do you realize that since you’ve been here, sales in every department have improved? Production is running going much smoother and the vibe around the office altogether is just, as much as I hate to say it, but…better?”

“That’s because I try a little thing called being nice to the employees, encouraging them to actually want to come to work and do a good job.”

Sophia rolled her eyes. “I suppose.”

“Well, I’m glad that things are better because I’m going home this weekend.”

The green eyed girl frowned. “What? Why?”

“Because I’m married and I miss my hubby! I haven’t spoken to him in nearly two weeks.”

Sophia had to think of a way to convince her brother to stay and quick.”But according to him, he didn’t even want to be married, Jason. Do you really want to be with someone like that?”

Jason exhaled. “I’ll probably call him tonight so we can talk about it. It’s been too long and I’m not mad anymore. I just miss him.”

“Okay, um, do you think you can watch Scout tonight? I think I’m gonna work late tonight.”

“Of course but how come you’re working late?”

Sophia sat back in her seat and pressed her fingers against her temples. “There’s just so much that still needs to be done,” she exhaled, forcing herself to sniffle.

Scout wrapped his arms around his mother’s neck and it made Jason pout.

“Soph, I’m doing my best to help you…if you need anything else, I’ll try-”

“I’m glad you said that,” she chirped as she opened her drawer and pulled out a thick stack of papers. “Could you highlight all the phone calls that were made between February and May?”

Jason suppressed his horror. “Um, can’t you get someone else to do that? Like someone who’s regular job isn’t that important.”

“Everyone’s job here is important, Jason,” his sister defended. “I don’t trust anyone but you to do this.”

The man sighed. “Fine.”

“Thank you so much Jason.” Sophia exhaled, relieved that she had some semblance of control on the situation.

“You better get all the use out of me you can before the weekend.”

The green eyed girl frowned.

—

When Jason finally made it home at nearly twelve in the morning, he flopped  onto his bed. The man blindly patted his pocket in search of his cell phone but when the device was nowhere to be found, he began to panic.

He quickly pushed himself off of his bed and down the hallway to his sister’s room. After knocking, she granted him access to enter.

“Sophia, have you seen my phone?”

“No…did you lose it?”

“Yeah. The last time I remember having it was at the office while highlighting.”

“You think you may have left it there?”

“I really hope not. There are so many nudes on that phone.”

“Ew. Um, well in that case I hope you find it soon.”

“Yeah, I won’t look too hard tonight. I have a headache.”

Sophia frowned. “Do you need to see a doctor?”

“No…I’ll just lay down,” he exhaled.

“And when you’d get headaches back in Brooklyn, Matt wouldn’t do anything to help?”

“No, he always helped.”

“But he’d yell at you while you were in pain?”

“Umm-”

“Vinny already called him out on it Jason. He would yell at you, complaining about you being a crybaby while you’re suffering from severe medical issues! That’s the most fucked up thing I’ve ever heard a husband do- oh wait! He didn’t want to marry you to begin with!”

Jason couldn’t control the tears that were flooding his eyes.

“He broke your heart and allowed you to leave. Anyone who truly loved you would fight for you. If he cared about you, he’d be here right now, Jason!” Sophia timed her tears perfectly, allowing several to fall onto her cheeks. “You’re my brother and I want you to be with someone that treats you like the amazing human being that you are.”

Jason hated seeing his sister cry and in return, he wept as all the feelings of hurt and betrayal he’d felt when he heard the words come out of his husband’s mouth hit him all at once. The voices in his head telling him that he wasn’t good enough paired with a blinding headache, hardly allowed the man to breathe let alone think as he uttered the next words.

“You’re right… I can’t be with someone like that… I want a divorce.”

Sophia couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but if this was what her brother wanted then she wouldn’t protest, especially since the chances of him staying to help the company seemed higher than ever.

“You deserve that, Jason,” she sniffled as she stood and pulled him into an embrace.

“Matt never wanted to marry me,” he cried hysterically as he tried to catch his breath.

“He didn’t,” Sophia confirmed in a soft voice. “But you can do so much better than him, J. And as your sister who loves you so very much, I’ll never let anyone hurt you ever again.”

—

Sophia made an emergency call to the  family lawyer and as they sat in the living room, the three of them discussed the best way to go about the separation.

“He needs to be served the papers,” the girl suggested.

“Isn’t that kind of shady?” Jason asked, voice raspy from the headache that continued to plague him.

“No, it’s for your safety. If you tell that lunatic that you want a divorce in person, he might attack you.”

“Matt would never do that,” Jason defended.

“You thought he’d never break your heart either,” she retorted.

The brunette buried his face in his hands in his best attempt to suppress his tears while his sister turned to the lawyer.

“Serve Matt the papers and let him have the house, car and ten million to ensure that he stays away,” she said dismissively. “He probably married Jason for the money anyways.”

“Are those conditions okay with you, Mr. Lent?”

Jason shrugged before nodding. “I just want this to be over with.”

“Okay, sign here.”

The man wiped his eyes and reluctantly grabbed the pen. _He never wanted to marry you, give him his freedom,_ Jason told himself as he signed the dotted line before the tears could make his vision too blurry.

“Congratulations,” the lawyer said as he slid the paperwork into an orange envelope.

Jason pushed himself off of the couch and fled down the hallway so that nobody could see the hysteria set in.

“Thank you so much,” Sophia said as she stood and shook the man’s hand. “Security will let you out.”

The girl turned on her heel to make her way towards the kitchen but was stopped by a sniffling Vinny.

“Sophia, I don’t think this is the best thing for Jason,” he admitted. “Although they got into a fight, he loves Matthew and these things can be worked out.”

“The decision was one hundred percent Jason’s,” she assured. “I’m just supporting him.”

“But it didn’t help with you taking his phone and shutting it off. What if Matthew tries to call and can’t get through and-”

“Zip it, old man,” the girl hissed through gritted teeth before glancing over her shoulder to make sure Jason was nowhere in sight. “If you say a word to him about that, I’ll make sure that you join your wife sooner than expected.”

Vinny simply pursed his lips and held his breath as he watched the girl walk away. The moment she boarded the elevator, Vinny wasted no time looking for Jason in attempt to console him. But when the elderly man rounded the corner of the corridor towards the boy’s bedroom, he dropped to his knees in horror when he saw the brunette sprawled out on the cold marble tile.

—

_Beep…Beep…Beep_

The rhythmic chirping of his own heart monitor encouraged Jason to lift his heavily hooded eyelids.

He glanced around the room and the familiarity of the sterile space made him nauseous but the sight of Sophia,  Vinny and the dozens of 'get well soon’ themed floral arrangements made it  tolerable.

“Hey,” his sister said softly. “You’re finally awake.”

“Finally?” Jason rasped.

“Yeah, you were out for about a week. Most of it medically induced to give your brain a break. The swelling has gone down so now you have to rest and take your meds so it doesn’t happen again.”

“A week,” he said in disbelief.

“Yeah. The employees all brought you flowers and whatnot.”

“Wh-Where’s Matt?”

“Matt?”

“Yes, Matthew Lent also known as my husband,” he chuckled before wincing.

Vinny frowned but Sophia remained calm as she continued to speak.

“Jason, what’s the last thing that you remember?”

The brunette’s eyebrows furrowed. “Um, Scout and I ate pizza…I was doing good at our company but I’m ready to go home to be with Matt for a while.”

Vinny couldn’t bring himself to even look at the boy and Jason instantly picked up on the unusual vibe.

“You guys did tell him that I’m here…right?”

Sophia scoffed. “Of course we did. He’s back at the house sleeping. I finally convinced him to get some rest after being by your side day and night this past week.”

Vinny narrowed his eyes at the green eyed girl’s lies but she ignored him.

“Aww, he’s so sweet,” Jason said excitedly.

She nodded. “Although, I do have to admit that he’s still upset about the argument you guys had so he’s acting kinda funny.”

Jason frowned. “I’ll be sure to talk to him about it. Did anyone ever find my phone?”

“No.”

“Damn. Well, can I use yours to call him really quickly?”

“My signal is so weak in this hospital, but um, I’ll call the nurse so that she knows that you’re awake and I’ll attempt to call Matt.”

“Thanks,” Jason sighed.

“No problem, J.” Sophia pressed the nurse’s call button and when the woman arrived, the green eyed girl exited to the hallway, beckoning Vinny to follow her.

As soon as the man made it outside of the room, he began to panic.  

“Oh, mio figlio. How does he not have any recollection of his divorce? Oh no che cosa faremo?! His heart will be broken all over again once he finds out!”

“Shut up,” Sophia demanded. “He’s not going to find out.”

“But you’ve already told him that Matthew is here,” he said in exasperation.

“And just as easily as he got here, Matt can leave again,” she retorted. “Whatever I say goes and don’t you dare fuck this up.” As she spoke, she emphasized each word, giving the man’s chest sharp pokes with her narrow index finger. “Having Jason stay in Atlanta and away from Matt is the best thing for all involved.”

“I agree,” he sighed. “But I just can’t lie to him.”

“Then let me do all the talking and stay out of my way,” Sophia hissed before entering her brother’s room, leaving Vinny to collect himself as he wrapped his mind around what was happening.

“So how is he?” Sophia asked the nurse.

“If he gets proper rest, he’ll be as good as new.”

The girl smiled. “Good. Um, do you think I could speak to you outside for a moment?”

“Are you tryna talk shit?” Jason asked.

“Always,” she teased before exiting the room again. The girl turned to the nurse. “He is suffering from some memory loss, is that common?”

“Yes, especially when it comes to a head injury.”

“Is it possible for the memory to come back?”

“It may or may not come back on it’s own or with some therapy. But short term memory recollection is quite rare.”

Sophia exhaled in relief. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” the woman said before leaving.

“Perfect,” the green eyed girl whispered to herself.

When she entered the hospital room again, she found her brother removing his cannula and frowning at his arm that held the IV.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m not staying here. Hospitals terrify me and if I’m going to be left alone, I may as well go home.” Jason pressed the call button.

“You can’t leave,” Sophia rushed. “You’re not well.”

“I feel fine.”

“Jason, you can’t just get up and walk around after being out for a week. You’ll only make it worse!”

“Not if I hire a doctor to come to the house. I’ll still seek medical attention, Soph. I just can’t be here. Besides, I really want to see Matt.”

“He left,” she blurted.

Jason’s frown was childlike. “What do you mean he left?”

“He went back to Brooklyn. I didn’t want to tell you right away, but when I told him that you were in the hospital, he showed up and Vinny immediately cursed him out in Italian; telling him that he didn’t belong here and that he was the reason that you were in the hospital to begin with.”

“Are you kidding me?” he whined. “Why would Vinny do that?”

“He just wants to protect you.”

“I get that but ugh! Matt’s probably so upset right now.”

“I’m sorry, J.”

At that moment, the nurse entered the room followed by Vinny. Jason couldn’t bring himself to look at the man so he stared at the floor as he spoke.

“Take this IV out now,” he ordered. “I’m going home.”

“Mio figlio, are you sure that’s a good idea? You just woke up.”

Jason ignored him. “Take it out,” he repeated through gritted teeth.

The nurse reluctantly obliged as she grabbed gauze and a band-aid. She expertly removed the needle, stopped the bleeding with the bandage and had the man sign release forms before he could go.

When they made it to the car, Vinny attempted to help Jason inside but the brunette snatched away, leaving the man confused. He didn’t know if he’d hurt Jason’s arm or if the boy simply didn’t want to be bothered, but he kept quiet as he climbed into the driver’s seat to take them home.

“Take me to the airport,” the brunette demanded.

“Jason, you’re not going to the airport right now,” Sophia retorted. “You just got out of the hospital.”

“I don’t care! Since you guys want to take my life into your own hands without even stopping to think about how it’d make me feel, I don’t want to be around you.”

Vinny frowned. “Che cosa? Anche a me?”

“Si tu! You told Matt to leave the hospital because you feel that he’s not good enough for me or- whatever your reasoning was, it was bullshit!”

The man was utterly confused. “Di cosa stai parlando?”

“Oh, Vinny don’t play dumb now,” Sophia interjected, tone underlined with the same threatening nature she had before.

The elderly man went silent for a minute. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

“You ought to be,” Sophia chastised. “Jason, I’m gonna call Matt right now.” The girl said before dialing a random number she had saved under the contact 'Matt’. “It went straight to voicemail,” she announced.

Jason desperately grabbed the phone from his sister’s hand and placed it to his ear. “Matt, it’s Jason. I’m sorry about everything that’s been going on. I didn’t call you sooner because I lost my phone and because, as you know, I was in the hospital. I just want to talk and work things out. Please call me back. I love you… bye,” he said before hanging up.

Vinny had to grit his teeth to fight from blurting out the truth, but the sizzle of Sophia’s glare against the side of his face was enough incentive to keep his mouth closed.

Jason returned the cell phone to his sister and laid out on the back seat, somber for the rest of the ride home.

—

When they got to the Dardo estate, Sophia stalled Jason’s tantrum by convincing him to go wedding dress shopping with her.

“So what shop are you going to?” he asked.

Sophia scoffed. “Designers come to me, I don’t go to them.”

Moments later when the doorbell rang, the green eyed girl rushed towards the door. She opened it and was greeted by the world renowned designer and her team.

“Hello, my love!” Vera greeted.

They shared an embrace and air kisses. “Come in everyone.”

The designer entered the mansion followed by several racks of gowns protected by thick plastic dress covers.

“I have some exclusive goodies for you,” Vera announced.

“I’m super excited! Oh, this is my brother Jason by the way.”

“Nice to meet you,” she said with a warm smile.

“Hi,” Jason sighed.

“And of course you know my baby Scout.”

“I do! I’ll be making your tux as well little one,” Vera said as she tickled the toddler who sat on the couch next to his uncle.

“Okay, so what do you have for me?” Sophia asked, already growing impatient.

“I have my 2017 collection that hasn’t even hit the runway yet and I wanted to see if any of the pieces spoke to you. How do you envision yourself on your wedding day?”

“First and foremost, I have to be flawless. I want a gown that hugs my curves but at the same time I’d love to feel like a Disney princess, a couture Disney princess.”

“I think I can manage that,” Vera said confidently before unzipping the black dress bag of the first gown.

Sophia frowned at the ruffled creation. “Um…”

“You hate it?”

“Hate is a strong word. But 1982 did call.”

Someone from the designer’s team let out a low gasp. Vera zipped the dress bag back up.

“Okay…what about this?” She opened the next bag, revealing the sheer bodice of the ball gown. “It’s sexy with a sweetheart neckline.”

“It looks like trashy lingerie that Cinderella probably wore on her wedding night.”

“Sophia,” Jason chastised.

“What? It’s true.”

“You’re just being insulting,” her brother added.

“Well, I’m sorry that I know fashion. Could I at least get some couture over here? Like, where is your sketch pad because from the looks of things, it seems you’ve lost your touch. We need to build something for me from scratch.”

Because she knew Sophia was an important client whose wedding dress would be seen by several rich and famous people, Vera bit her tongue and grabbed her sketchbook.

“What is your vision?”

“I definitely don’t want to wear white. One, because I’m a former whore and two because it’s just so overdone.

Jason, what color do you think looks better on our skin tone? Ivory or ecru?”

Jason blew a raspberry that made the toddler giggle. “We don’t even know what ecru is, do we Scouty?” The brunette lifted Scout and tossed him in the air before catching him, causing the toddler to burst into hearty laughter.

“I’d go with ivory,” Vera suggested. “We wouldn’t want to make you look more washed out.”

“We wouldn’t want to get Ines Di Santo on the phone either,” the green eyed girl hissed. “Anyways, I want a fitted bodice dripping in crystals.”

“This is boring, Scout,” Jason whispered. “Let’s go play.” While his sister’s back was turned, the brunette slid off of the couch and tiptoed to another part of the mansion.

“Mhm, and I want the skirt to be massive. I want to look like Atlantian royalty because that’s what I am,” Sophia chuckled. “Right Jason?” She turned around to find an empty couch. “Shit!” The girl for out before rushing to the nearest intercom. “Jason,” she said frantically.

When the man didn’t reply within a few seconds, the girl began to panic. “Don’t call Matt,” Sophia groaned before pushing the button again. “Jason answer me now! Where is my baby?” she asked as a cover up.

“Chill out,” he finally replied. “We’re in the ballroom playing with his hot wheels.”

Sophia sighed in relief. “Well get back in here. I don’t like for my child or you for that matter, to be out of my sight. If you pass out, it’s not like Scout can call 911.”

Jason scoffed. “I’m not gonna pass out.”

“Better safe than sorry, J.”

“Ugh, fine. You’re ruining our bonding time.”

“You can bond in your room.” Sophia released the intercom button. “Without a phone.”

—

Over the next few days, Sophia did her best to keep Jason occupied and away from telephones. After announcing that the following day at work was pajama day, she convinced her brother to lounge in her office in ‘slumber party’ fashion throughout the entire day. They spent the rest of the week going out to eat for every meal, planning for Sophia’s wedding and shopping for Scout.

Jason quickly became so burnt out that he burst into tears when Sophia shook him awake for work the next morning.

“I’m not going!”

“Jason, you have to. The company is doing so much better with you.”

“I’m tired! My hands have calluses from putting papers in the fax machine. I’m not used to working like this!”

“Fine, princess. I’ll stay home too.”

“I don’t care green eyed monster,” Jason groaned as he placed his pillow over his head.

“Sophia,” Vinny said quietly from behind her.

The girl turned around. “What old man?”

“Go to work. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Sophia raised an eyebrow. “Will you?” she asked underhandedly.

The man nodded.

“I’ll see you later, Jason. Come on, Scout.”

Vinny waited until Sophia was out of sight until he sat on the edge of Jason’s bed.

“Go away, Vinny,” he demanded, voice muffled by the feathered pillow.

“You know, from the moment you were born, you were the most special thing in my life. Magdalena couldn’t have kids so you were like my own. And I can’t stand to see my own being hurt…even if it’s by someone who’s supposed to love you just as much as I do.”

Jason sat up. “If you’re talking about Matt, don’t. You’ve done enough damage.”

“I know you’re upset with me, but you should use that energy to fix your marriage.”

The brunette pulled his legs to his chest and placed his chin on his knees. “I feel like I’ve fucked up my marriage beyond repair. I knew that Matt never believed in it to begin with, so maybe I overreacted but it just hurt so much hearing that.”

“Matthew’s intentions are never to hurt you.”

“Then why did you send him away when I was in the hospital?”

Vinny paused before replying. “I want to protect you as much as he wants to protect you.”

Jason’s indifference turned into an understanding sigh. “I know. And it sucks that he hasn’t returned any of my calls.”

Vinny hid his panic. “You’ve been calling him?”

“Yeah. I don’t know his number by heart, so every time Sophia puts her phone down, I take it to try and call him. And I feel so sneaky, but she has me so busy that I have no choice. I haven’t even found the time to get my own phone because things have been so crazy and-” he took a deep breath.

“Jason, go home,” Vinny said simply. “Go home, apologize to Matt.”

“Yeah, but Sophia-”

“Sophia will be fine. Home will always be here, but your opportunity to tell someone that you love them won’t.”

Jason pouted as he threw his arms around his father figure. “I love you, Vin.”

“Ti amo anch'io, mio figlio. No matter how angry you are with me, just remember that.”

The brunette kissed Vinny’s cheek. “I’m not mad at you anymore.”

 _Oh, but you will be_ , he thought.

“I’m not even gonna pack,” he said excitedly as he pushed himself off of the bed. “Ugh, I can’t wait to see his sexy face again!”


	7. Chapter 7

Tears began to flood Jason’s eyes as the nausea settled in. He relentlessly scanned the divorce papers and his signature that made them official but he still couldn’t make sense of it.

“Matt, I’m really gonna be sick,” he whimpered. “I ca-can’t believe this. This wasn’t me.”

“What are you saying? That someone forged your signature?” Matt asked, even more confused than ever.

“Or something! I’d never-” Jason took a deep breath. “I’ll call my lawyer and hopefully he can make sense of it. But in the meantime, I’m here to work on us.”

Matt pursed his lips, unsure how to word what he wanted to say.

“Jason,” Apollo politely interjected, “with all due respect, Matt and _I_ are dating. And unless he tells me otherwise, _we’re_ working on _us_.”

Jason scowled. “First of all, who is this fucking low rent Mario Lopez and why is he even addressing me, Matt?! I’m your husband!”

“You’re not my husband,” his ex mumbled.

“These papers aren’t real!”

“You might not think they’re real, but the pain I’ve felt for the past three weeks is! Do you know how much it hurts to be blindsided by something like this?! It took what little life I had left in me after our fight and destroyed it. And seeing your signature at the bottom made me feel worthless as fuck. So by some fucking miracle, this amazing guy came along and picked up the pieces.”

“Three fucking weeks Matt. You couldn’t at least wait a month?! You’re a fucking whore!”

Apollo frowned. “There’s no need for name calling.”

“And there’s no need for you to say shit to me! You’re irrelevant! You were a fucking afterthought after me bitch!”

Apollo burst into laughter. “Oh my God you’re so precious. Like a little chia pet or something.”

Jason couldn’t control himself from charging Apollo, but Matt quickly caught the man by the waist to stop him, causing the brunette to resort to grabbing a pillow off of the couch and throwing it at the model who effortlessly deflected it.

“Fuck you!” Jason screeched.

“Oh wow, stooping to throwing things,” Apollo said, a little taken aback by the other man’s behavior. “I didn’t know it was so hard for an adult to have a civil disagreement.”

The brunette was so livid that he was practically foaming at the mouth as Matt held him back from pouncing on the other man. When Jason couldn’t break away from the grip around his waist, he continued to toss more pillows at Apollo. “You fucking trash! You’re a homewrecking piece of shit!”

“Homewrecking?” he asked in disbelief. “How can you wreck something that sorta kinda didn’t exist to begin with?”

“Matt!” Jason wept as he stomped his feet. “Don’t let that fucking gorilla talk to me like that!”

Seeing the man cry never failed to make Matt empathic towards him. “Jason, calm down and don’t call him a gorilla,” he sighed before turning to his boyfriend. “Apollo, could you give us a minute?”

“Of course,” he said understandingly. “Call me if you need anything,” the model said before taking the stairs to Matt’s bedroom to give them some privacy.

Matt was no longer used to Jason’s  crying that bordered on hysterical, so to comfort the man, he awkwardly patted his shoulder.

“Jason, I thought you left me in the most horrible way possible. What was I supposed to do? Sit around, depressed about you forever?”

“Yes! Like hold on to hope or some shit but not move on so fast!”

“Jason, that’s not fair.”

“It’s not fair that you don’t care about me!” he retorted.

Matt quickly grew annoyed of the man’s selfishness. “Well if that’s how you feel, then leave. I honestly don’t have time for this.”

“Are you seriously kicking me out?!”

“No, but you crying and yelling about what a whore I am isn’t working out.”

“Mattttt,” Jason whimpered. “I’m here now, we can be together.”

The man exhaled. “That’s not how it works.”

“But you love me,” he sniffled. “I hope.”

“Of course I do,” Matt said softly. “But-” he stopped abruptly when he realized that he was coddling the man again. “No. You don’t get to come in here and manipulate the situation to get your way. And however this divorce came about, since you’ve ‘never seen this document before’,” the man said with a scowl as he air quoted, “you still left me! How was I even supposed to know if you were safe when you wouldn’t reply to so much as a text message?!”

“I lost my phone,” Jason whined defensively.

Matt folded his arms. “On the jet?”

The brunette pouted. “Last week.”

“Then there’s no fucking excuse!”

“Okay, but there’s no excuse for you to come all the way to Atlanta, knowing that I’m in the hospital, just to leave!”

The man was utterly confused. “What the fuck are you even talking about? You know what, I don’t even care. I’m over your excuses, I’m over your selfishness and I’m over you.” He did his best to make the last part sound convincing.

Jason stood, frozen as he attempted to process what he was hearing. “Matt…”

The man was unwavering as he spoke. “I want my ring back.”

“Matt, please don’t do this to me,” he begged. “This ring is my heart and it means so much to me.”

Matt hesitated but he was stoic in his decision as he held out his hand. “You should’ve thought of that before you left me.”

Jason’s hand felt like lead as he slowly lifted it. As he began to remove the diamond ring, pain surged through his chest. When the man finally slid the platinum completely off, his tan lines made it evident that it’d been the first time he’d taken it off since his wedding.

“I’m going to be sick,” Jason groaned as he placed the ring into his ex-husband’s hand.

“Sorry to hear that,” Matt said coldly.

“I’m not giving up on us,” the brunette sniffled.

The man exhaled loudly. “Please leave.”

Jason’s bottom lip quivered as more tears brewed before he turned on his heel to leave, moving slow enough in hopes that Matt would stop him. When he didn’t, Jason suppressed his tears until he made it outside. The slam of the door behind him made him jump, effectively jump-starting the tears that were now waterfalling down his cheeks.

The brunette wept as he walked down the street to the nearest restaurant where he was greeted by the redheaded hostess.

“Hi, welcome to Minj’s Kitchen! Just one- are you okay?”

Jason shook his head. “Could I please use your phone?”

—

Matt placed his fingers against his temples as he made his way to the couch. A minute later, Apollo quietly descended the stairs and sat next to his boyfriend.

“Are you okay?”

The man shook his head. “I wish I could say that was easy,” he sighed. “I wished that seeing him still didn’t give me butterflies.”

There was a long, tense silence. “Do you at least forgive him for what he did?”

“No,” Matt scoffed.

“Well, it’ll have to start with that. You can’t completely move on when you’re still harboring negative energy towards him.”

“I’m not ready to forgive him. He’s so fucking selfish and now he’s coming in here with this 'I don’t know how you thought we were broken up. Oh my God, how could you do this to me because I’m such a victimmm’,” he mocked. “Just ugh, I’m not ready to forgive him.”

“Understandable…well as long as you forgive me for farting just now, that’s all that matters.”

“Eww!” Matt squealed with laughter. “Burn a hole in my couch why don’t you.”

“I’m kidding! I just wanted to see you smile.”

Matt took a deep breath before turning to his boyfriend. “You don’t have to do much for that to happen.”

Apollo grinned.

“And thank you for being so supportive and not allow the yelling to get to you because I know it could’ve escalated to another level.”

“Oh, that doesn’t require a thank you. I’m just not into screaming and fighting, especially over someone that I already know is mine,” he said smugly.

Matt’s smile was soft as their lips met in a tender kiss.

“I love you,” Apollo whispered.

Matt responded by pushing the model back onto the couch before straddling him.

“Oh no you don’t,” Apollo practical growled as he pushed Matt onto his back, pinning him to the couch in one swift, domineering motion.

Matt pouted. “Why can’t I ride you?”

“You have before, I like it but it makes you think that you’re in control when you’re not.”

The man scoffed. “You just can’t handle a strong man.”

Apollo shook his head. “Nope, I can’t. But can you?” he asked before aggressively taking Matt’s lips against his.

The model’s large hands slid underneath his boyfriend’s shirt, tugging at the fabric in movements that signaled he wanted the man’s clothing removed immediately.

“Take it off,” he demanded in a tone that,by now, Matt knew all too well. The man melted underneath his boyfriend’s lusty gaze like hot butter as he tossed the fabric to the floor.

Matt moved tauntingly slow as he reached for the button on his shorts, effectively setting his lover off.

As if he was superhuman, Apollo ripped into the cargo shorts like they were made out of tissues paper before flinging the shreds of the material across the room. He was a wild man on a mission, quickly removing his own clothing so that he could turn his attention back to Matt.

Apollo’s dilated eyes paired with his dominating nature, had the other man’s cock stiffening within the confines of his boxers. Matt knew that when Apollo got like this, he was in for some of the best sex that he’d ever had, and just the thought of it now already had his dick leaking precum.

Apollo wasted no time ripping his boyfriend’s underwear off and taking his throbbing cock into his mouth in a manner that made Matt’s eyes roll into the back of his head. The model was three times as experienced as he was and it showed.

“Shit!” he moaned as he entangled his fingers in Apollo’s dark wavy hair. The way the man worked his mouth left Matt’s toes curling and had him teetering on the edge within a matter of minutes. When he finally came, the model lapped up every drop of his cum followed by sliding on a condom and slathering on a handful of lube before slamming into his lover’s ass.

After his first two orgasms Matt didn’t think that another was even possible but he was quickly proven wrong as Apollo expertly plowed into him causing the third orgasm to wash over his body.

“Fuckkk,” Matt moaned breathlessly as his body quivered at the onslaught of pleasure. His dick had done all that it could do as the soft member leaked clear fluid in attempt to keep up with the earth shattering prostate climaxes his boyfriend was inducing. “Oh my God. Oh my God.”

Apollo grinned as he leaned down to kiss his boyfriend’s collarbone. “You’re so beautiful.”

Matt had to catch his breath before he could form a coherent response. “I don’t think I can go anymore.”

  
“You know I take that as a personal challenge, right?” he asked before grabbing his lover’s legs, placed them up on his own muscular shoulders before taking complete advantage of the new angle by pounding hard into the man.

“Shit! Apollo, please,” he whimpered as he tried to pull away.

The model slowed down and kissed both of Matt’s ankles. “You want me to stop?”

Matt had to take a few breaths before he could reply. “No, you feel so fucking good but I’m about to see stars, fuck.”

Apollo smirked. “Is that a bad thing?”

“Not usually,” he chuckled.

“So I can get one more out of you?”

Before Matt could even finish his nod, his eyes were forced into the back of his head when his boyfriend began to thrust into him with the deliverance of a mad man. Overstimulation nearing, the man tried to pull away again, but Apollo firmly held him down by the waist while he pounded into him. He came nearly instantly, moaning like a wild animal as he desperately tried to grip Apollo’s arms but the model pinned his lover’s wrists to the beige sectional, one to avoid any scratches and two, to keep Matt steady as his trembling grew more and more evident.

“Apollo, Apollo, Apollo,” he couldn’t help but moan as his strong lover hit sensitive spots within him that the man didn’t even know existed. His body began to shake uncontrollably as the sheer ecstasy washed over him.

Matt’s expression alone was enough to make Apollo climax.

“Fuckkk,” the model groaned, filling the condom with load after load of hot cum. After composing himself, he gently pulled out, removed the condom and tossed it into the trash across the room.

Apollo kissed along his lover’s neck and jawline and when he noticed that Matt’s eyes were closed, he grew concerned.

“Are you okay?”

The man responded with a light snore.

Apollo chuckled. “Well that’s a first.”

The model pushed himself off of the couch and over to the linen closet where he grabbed a small towel. He wet it with warm water and wiped his mess off of his lover’s skin before gently lifting him off of the couch and carrying him to his room. Apollo tucked Matt into bed and stole a kiss from his pouty lips.

The man then grabbed a change of clothes and by the time he finished showering, Matt was still asleep.

Apollo muttered something in Greek. “I need to be less aggressive in bed,” he sighed. “He’ll probably be hungry when he wakes up though.” The model made his way to the kitchen and started on the dinner he hoped his lover would wake up in time for.

—

Sophia left work early that day and when she crossed the threshold of her home, the girl spotted Vinny pacing the foyer.

She raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing, old man?”

The nervous look on his face made Sophia’s stomach lurch. “Where’s Jason?”

Vinny took a deep breath. “He’s gone.”

“What do you mean, ‘he’s gone’?” the green eyed girl asked through gritted teeth.

“He went home.”

“Why the fuck did you let him leave?!” she exploded.

“Jason deserves to know the truth.”

“What did you tell him?” she hissed.

“Nothing,” Vinny assured. “But he missed Matt and I told him to go be with him. They deserve to be happy.”

“Ugh, no! It’s going to ruin everything! You’re fired! Get your shit and get the fuck out of my house!”

“But-”

“Get out!” she screeched before storming towards the nearest intercom. “Bill, you and that other security guard…whatever his name is, need to see that Vinny is escorted off of the premises within the next five minutes and he’s not permitted to return. If he does, call the police.”

Vinny turned on his heel to go pack his things. Over fifty years of hard work for the Dardo family was reduced to nothing in the matter of seconds. He’d leave with dignity, but it was hard to hold your head high when your heart was broken.

—

Sophia attempted to push the pending doom that was bound to be her brother’s livid reaction at the entire situation to the back of her mind as she played with her son.

Scout picked up his plastic Elmo phone and placed it to his ear.

“Hello? Hello?” he babbled.

Sophia gasped dramatically. “Who are you talking to, Scouty? It better not be a girl,” she teased.

The toddler giggled and pressed the bright green call button.

“Hello! This is Elmo! What are you doing?” the device said, eliciting more laughs from the boy.

“Oh okay,” his mother sighed as if she was relieved. “There better not be any girls calling your phone or mommy will go crazyyy.” She pulled him into a firm snuggle as she smothered his face and hair in kisses.

Scout giggled as he squirmed in her arms. He managed to place his cellphone to his mother’s ear.

“Hello?” Sophia answered with a scowl. “Who is this calling my son?!” she asked in dramatic fashion that always seemed to entertain the toddler.

“Hello! This is Elmo! What are you doing?”

“Playing with my Scouty and you’re interrupting family time, asshole!”

The toddler cackled before grabbing his phone and placing it back to his ear before proceeding to babble into the receiver.

At the same moment, Sophia jumped when her own phone began to ring. She raised an eyebrow at the unknown number but answered anyway.

“Hello?”

“Sophia.”

The girl decided to play it cool when she realized who it was. “Hey, brother. What phone are you calling me from?”

“The phone at this restaurant.”

“Oh my God, ew. Please order yourself a new phone.”

“I will,” Jason sniffled.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t even know where to start,” he wept. “I get home, Matt’s not there. He’s moved back into that dusty apartment and he was like 'oh what are you doing here, you divorced me, blah blah’ and I’m like what the fuck is going on?”

“Jason, that’s crazyyy,” Sophia gasped as if this was news to her. “So how’d that happened?”

“I don’t know,” he sobbed. “But it has my signature on it. Maybe I should call the lawyer-”

“Just come back home, J,” his sister interjected.

“I want Matt,” Jason wept. “And to top it off, he has a b-b-boyfriend.” He practically spat out the last word in attempt to wrap his mind around it.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes! Some guy named Apollo and he barely speaks English. We got into an argument and he was all like 'oh let’s not stoop to name-calling’ and then was a hypocrite about it cause he called me a fucking chia pet!”

“Oh fuck no,” Sophia fumed. “Was he a mental asylum escapee because nobody sane talks to us like that! He needs to be put in his place.”

“He really does. Do you think you can do a background check on him? This guy looks so shifty and I’m worried about Matt’s safety.”

“I could totally hire a private investigator to find out more about him.”

“Thank you,” Jason sniffled.

“In the meantime, are you coming home?”

“No,” he sighed. “I really just want to sleep right now. I’m gonna go home and eat ice cream until I puke.”

“Okay, well stay safe. Love you.”

“Love you too,” he exhaled before hanging up.

—

“Did you get the envelope?” Sophia asked her brother over the phone.

“I just did.”

“So as soon as the private investigator told me Apollo’s last name, I knew exactly who he was. You know I’ve been to fashion week all over the world, I know all of the designers and their ads and he’s a pretty big deal.”

“Barf.”

“Yeah, he’s gorgeous but nobody crosses my family. So enclosed in the envelope is all of the dirt on him.”

Sophia continued to speak as Jason scanned through the pages.

“He’s originally from Greece, moved to New York in 2009, he had some nude photos circulating around the internet for awhile.”

“Matt’s dating a pornstar?!”

“I wouldn’t say star,” Sophia scoffed,  “the pictures are pretty pathetic. They’re also in the envelope.”

“Eww,” Jason said with a retch when he found the nude shots. “He’s like two pounds in these. Not attractive.”

“Well he was only eighteen at the time so what do you expect? But he does  have a big dick so I can see why Matt is with him.”

“Sophiaaaaa!”

“Sorry. Anyways, in addition to that, he’s signed to IMG, who apparently your ex-husband occasionally shoots for now.”

“Don’t call him that,” Jason whined. “This is all some crazy misunderstanding.”

Sophia quickly changed the subject. “Okay, anyways, I haven’t spilled the hottest tea.”

“What would that be?”

“Apollo is dyslexic.”

“So what does that mean? He’s slow?”

“Dyslexia jumbles up the words or some bullshit like that, making reading difficult.”

“That sucks.”

“Yeah and I guess it’s supposed to be this big secret, so I say we use this knowledge for our revenge,” the girl said slyly.

“What do you mean?”

“I took it upon myself to throw a party under a fake company name with all of the IMG models and some of my very famous friends invited to attend.”

“Soph, what are you up to?”

“Well, we need someone to be the face of the Malanaphy oil canteen and this will be the launch party.”

“What the fuck is the Malanaphy oil canteen?”

“Something I made up,” she cackled.

“So you’re throwing a party for a made up product just to somehow embarrass this Apollo guy?” Jason asked skeptically.

“Um, yes?” she replied as if it was obvious.

There was a short pause before Jason exploded in excitement.

“Sophia, that’s brilliant!”

“I’m glad you see things my way! Of course I won’t be there because I have more important things to attend to, but guess what? That shit will be live streaming across the web.”

“Oh my God, you’re so evil.”

“Thanks,” she chirped.

“I totally want to be there.”

“Feel free. The party starts at eleven.”

“Oh my God, I have to get ready! I need a disguise!”

“Good luck and don’t fuck it up.”

—

When Matt finally woke up later that night he caught a glimpse of Apollo adjusting his bowtie in front of the mirror.

“Well damn,” he rasped. “What did I miss?”

“Dinner,” Apollo informed.

“Sorry, babeee. But the way you put it down, was like Zzzquil or some shit. It was impossible to stay awake.”

The model grinned before making his way over to Matt’s side to kiss him.

“Where are you going?”

“My agent sent me over this offer to be the face of something called the…Malan…Malen…I have to go over it again to make sure I don’t screw up the pronunciation, but yeah, they want me to promote this oil canteen thing. Apparently all I have to do is walk around and mingle with the guests which shouldn’t be hard because the majority is IMG.”

“Ooo, fun. Is it invitation only?”

“I think so, which sucks because I’d love for you to be my date.”

“Maybe I could sneak in.”

“Maybe,” Apollo said with a grin before kissing his boyfriend. “I’ll see you later, moró.”

“I’ll miss youuu.”

“Well, meet me there but only after you eat your dinner. It’s in the fridge.”

Matt pouted. “Fine.”

Apollo grinned. “I love you.”

“Ditto.”

The man stole one last kiss before rushing out of the room.

—

Once he arrived at the party, Apollo did exactly what he was told as he made his way through the place, mingling and greeting the guests. He had to hide how starstruck he was when meeting some of them, but when he saw Mathu, he immediately broke character.

“Oh my God,” he gasped. “Do you believe some of the people that are here?! I’ve met Naomi Campbell, Dita von Teese, RuPaul- like talk about trying your best to not fangirl! I even met this heiress from Atlanta, so my night has been awesome.”

“Oh, darling, you’re so cute. But enough about you, where’s my boyfriend?”

Apollo giggled. “He’s at home.”

“Why?” the pink haired man demanded.

“Because this is an invitation only event. Totally out of my control, but I plan on sneaking him in later.”

“Yeah, I have no idea who’s throwing this but I’m not complaining. Free liquor and famous connections.”

Apollo laughed just as Jake began to speak into the microphone on the small stage.

“Hello everyone! My name is Jake Ludwig and I’m an IMG model. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I was told like two minutes ago that I had to get my ass up here to introduce our real speaker of the night. I’d do it but myself, but as you can probably tell, I’ve had a few shots.”

The crowd chuckled.

“Without further ado, I’d like to welcome to the stage, my good friend, Apollo Katsopolis!”

Apollo faked a smile. “I had no idea I had to speak,” he mumbled as he approached the stage.

When he hugged Jake, the other model whispered into his ear. “There’s a teleprompter of what you have to say right across the room,” he informed, completely unaware of the man’s reading disability.

“But, ugh-” Apollo got out as he tried to keep his cool while Jake left the stage. The man said a silent prayer, focused his attention on the screen across the room and slowly began to read.

“Good evening…la-ladies and gentlemen. As you know, my name is Apollo Katsopolis and I am the…new f-f-face of…Malan…Malnol…phy-” he took a deep breath when he realized he had butchered the name, but like the true professional that he was, he attempted to go on, “oil ca-canteen. The new…um,” the next few words seemed to merge and jumble into one big ball of confusion that made the man’s vision blurry. “Um…the-the…oil-”

Apollo’s heart began to race as he turned bright crimson from the low whispers and even a few laughs that spread throughout the venue.

“Oh my God, how pathetic,” a voice blurted.

Apollo spotted the Atlantan heiress and realized that she was the source of the heckling. Flashbacks of his childhood and the bullying he endured flooded his mind causing the man’s eyes to flood with tears. He didn’t want to give up, so he made up the rest of the speech.

“I just want to thank you all for coming and I hope that this product does well and I hope that this business partnership is the first of many. Thank you,” he said, attempting to keep his voice steady, just as polaroids of his nude photos began to drift down from an opening in the ceiling.

Some guests gasped, others laughed and others expressed their disgust by simply leaving room.

Absolutely mortified, the model fled the stage and left out of the nearest exit.

“Apollo, wait,” Jake pleaded as he went after the man, but he froze when he recognized the obnoxiously loud cackle. “Jason,” he mumbled.

The man didn’t know what was going on, but he didn’t like it and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Jake followed the laughing to the back corner of the room to a six foot tall redheaded woman dressed in a skimpy outfit and terribly applied makeup.

“Hello,” she said in a soft voice when she saw Jake.

“Cut the bullshit, Dardo. I know it’s you.”

“Well, it’s a small world,” Jason said in his normal voice.

“Why are you in drag?”

“Crossdressing isn’t exactly new to me,” he chuckled. “Remember Matt’s bachelor party?”

“Okay…but why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be in Atlanta? And what’s so funny about a guy messing up a few words as he reads?” he demanded as he folded his arms.

Jake’s tone made Jason scowl.

“First of all, asshole, you’re not going to talk to me like that. Let’s be very clear that you’re the reason I went to Atlanta in the first place when you ruined my marriage by opening your fatass mouth.”

“Whoa,” Jake interjected. “I didn’t make you leave Matt, you left on your own and you broke his fucking heart!”

Mathu heard the brewing argument from across the room and swiftly made his way over. He grabbed the model’s arm. “Jake, baby, remember where you are. Each and every person in this room is a potential client and arguing with a lady isn’t a good look.”

Jake scoffed. “This isn’t a fucking lady,more like a pig with lipstick on.”

The people in the direct vicinity of the man gasped at the seemingly misogynistic insult.

“Jake,” Mathu hissed. “Go find Apollo and make sure that he’s okay.”

The model glared at busted drag queen. “If I find out that you were only here to start shit, your marriage won’t be the only thing 'I ruin’,” he threatened before turning on his heel to find his fellow model.

When he asked around and followed the directions that people had indicated in Apollo’s escape route, the man was still nowhere to be found.

He made his way out to the parking lot where he was surprised to see Matt waiting in his car. Jake quickly approached.

“Hey, have you seen Apollo?”

“No,” Matt practically exclaimed. “I’ve been looking for him since I pulled up. He was supposed to sneak me in.”

“Well, he was just on stage, having to read this teleprompter and totally flubbed. Then out of nowhere, nude photos of him fell down from the ceiling. He rushed out of the party all embarrassed and whatnot.”

Matf had no idea how to process the information. “What the fuck? Where is he?”

“I don’t know but I’ve been looking. I would’ve followed him immediately afterwards but you won’t believe who else is here.”

“Who?”

“Your ex.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes! And in drag!”

“Oh fuck no,” Matt said as he exited his car. “It was him,” he accused. The man wiped the dust off of his black suit and stormed into the party. Invited to the event or not, he wouldn’t let Jason get away with hurting Apollo like that.

Matt searched the entire venue for a ridiculously busted crossdresser, but Jason was nowhere to be found.

 _He’s definitely at home then_ , the man thought. _Ugh, why does he have to be such a fucking asshole?!_

Matt was a man on a mission as he rushed out of the party, into his car and over to Jason’s house as fast as he could.

When he made it to the expensive neighborhood, not caring about tickets, Matt parked in a random spot beside the curb and sprinted to Jason’s front door. He pounded his fist against the solid wood slab.

“Jason!”

Within a few seconds, the door was unlocked and reluctantly opened by the brunette, who was visibly shaken.

“Matt,” Jason gasped as he secured his robe’s belt around his waist. His hair was freshly washed and his lashes still had hints of mascara. “What are you doing here?”

“You should know damn well why I’m here,” he snapped back. “What did you do at the party?”

He decided to play dumb. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Cut the fucking bullshit, Jason! What did you do?!”

The brunette flinched. “I didn’t do anything… I simply attended a party thrown by my sister.”

“Of fucking-course,” Matt groaned. “So was it some sort of setup for Apollo?”

The brunette nodded. “But he insulted me by calling me a chia pet! He’s dyslexic so I figured we’re now even.”

“So you thought it was a good idea to have him read in front of all those people? Do you have any idea how fucking sick you sound, poking fun at him because he has a disability?! That’s the same as laughing at someone for being in a wheelchair or having autism! I have no fucking respect for you after that!”

Jason burst into tears. “I’m sorry,” he wept. “I didn’t think of the consequences and how many people this could hurt.”

“Well maybe you should start thinking for once in your life!”

Jason sniffled. “My mind has been so clouded lately…I just can’t handle the thought of you being with someone other than me. The thought of him touching you makes me sick to my stomach and I don’t know how much longer I can take it. And if I have to hit below the belt or play dirty just to be around you then so be it. I don’t care anymore. I don’t want your respect, I want your love and I don’t care if they go hand in hand, I just want you to be mine again,” he said honestly. “And to show up on your doorstep and for you to pull out these divorce papers genuinely has me fucked up and I don’t know how my marriage just slipped through my fingers,” the brunette got our through uncontrollable sobs that finally convinced Matt that he was telling the truth about being oblivious to the divorce.

“Well, I don’t want to talk about that right now, but I do thank you for the apology. But I’m not the one who you should be apologizing to.”

“I’m not sure if I can.”

“Well I’m not gonna force you to do anything, but it’s all a big testament to your character.”

Jason pouted. “What’s his number?”

“That’s the thing, he’s not answering the phone. I’m sure he’s at home though.”

“I’ll put on some clothes then,” he sighed.

Matt cleared his throat. “Okay… I’ll be in the car.” He quickly exited out of the front door.

When Jason heard the hitch in his ex-husband’s voice, he knew that he still had a chance.

—

Jason pulled all his hair to one side, exposing the pale skin of his neck to Matt as he climbed into passenger side of the car.

“It’s been awhile since we’ve driven anywhere together.”

“Yeah,” Matt said coldly.

“I still get anxiety about the accident sometimes…”

“So do I.”

Matt started the car and the brunette jumped a little.

“Sorry,” the man offered.

“It’s okay,” Jason assured. “I know you’ll probably say no…but…could I hold your hand? For old times sake?”

The man instantly shook his head before he began to speed along the grimy Brooklyn streets.

Jason dug his nails into the dark leather of the seat underneath him as nervously gnawed on his bottom lip.

When Matt noticed this, an all too familiar feeling surged through him. The man sighed and reluctantly grabbed his ex-husband’s hand.

Jason’s smile was soft as their  interlocked fingers bridged the empty space between them.

—

“So this is where your boyfriend lives?” Jason asked skeptically. “Must be that model money.”

Matt ignored him as he rang the doorbell of Apollo’s condo.

“No key? He must not trust you.”

“Shut up,” Matt groaned. He rang the bell again and when another minute passed, they turned to leave just as Apollo finally opened the door.

The man’s usually crystal clear eyes were now red and puffy. His overall appearance was haggard and the radiant energy he was known to carry was nowhere to be found.

“Babe, are you okay?” Matt asked as he wrapped his arms around the man. “I’ve been trying to call you.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” he sighed. The model’s eyebrows furrowed when he saw Jason. “What’s going on?”

Matt broke the hug to explain. “Jason wants to apologize for a few things.”

“Okay…come in, I guess.”

The two of them entered the model’s immaculate abode and he invited them to sit down.

“Can I get you anything to drink?” he offered.

“Yes, I’ll have-”

“Nothing,” Matt interjected. “You’re here to apologize.”

Jason took a deep breath. “First off, I’d like to apologize for going off on you the other day. Although this is a messy situation, you didn’t deserve to be called a bitch and whatnot.”

The corners of the model’s mouth turned up a little.

“There’s more,” Matt mumbled.

The hint of Apollo’s smile immediately faded.

Jason cleared his throat. “There is no such thing as a Malanaphy oil canteen. The product and company were all made up just to lure you into an embarrassing situation.”

Apollo’s expression didn’t change as he tried to process what he was hearing.

“After the intro, half of the stuff on the teleprompter was gibberish so even someone without dyslexia would’ve struggled.”

“Wow,” Matt mumbled.

“And the nude photos were added for that extra jab because I was mad that you called me a chia pet.”

“You did all of this because of that?” Apollo asked.

“Yeah,” Jason sheepishly admitted. “But there’s more…”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Matt scolded in disbelief.

“What else could there be?” the model asked.

Jason blew out a lungful of air. “The entire party was streamed live…and to make sure that people watched, the first hundred viewers were gifted one hundred dollars each.”

Matt was speechless.

“Did it make you feel better?” Apollo asked, barely audible.

“Well, at first it did but then Matt came straight to my house and made me see the error of my ways,” he said dramatically.

Matt shot him a glare for implying that the confrontation was sexual.

“And I hope that every kid out there with a learning disability saw that video and that it helps them to understand that bullying doesn’t stop at childhood. They should brace themselves for people like you,” he sniffled as he pushed himself out of his recliner. “Please leave my house.”

Before the tears could spill onto his cheeks, Apollo made his way to the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.

“Oh God,” Matt groaned as he stood and followed the man. He knocked on the door. “Babe?”

“Jason needs to leave,” was his instant reply. “Then I’ll talk to you.”

“That’s fine,” the brunette retorted. “Matt take me home.”

“You can take my car. Drive yourself.”

Jason pouted. “I can’t,” he whimpered. “I’m scared that something will happen.”

“Nothing will happen. Just go.”

“Nooooo,” the brunette whined. “Please just take me and you can come right back here.”

He groaned in exasperation. “Would that be okay, Apollo?”

“Sure,” the man replied coldly.

“But will you be mad at me?”

“Matt, we’re all adults here and I’m just trying to come to terms with the fact that the world now knows my secret. I also have to accept that some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry  think I’m an idiot and probably won’t want to work with me ever again. And while I wrap my head around all of that, I suppose I have to filter every little thing that I say to ex-husbands so that my reputation isn’t tarnished any further or maybe it’ll be a brick through my window next time. So, while I process that, you do what you feel like you need to do, he just needs to be out of my house within the next thirty seconds.”

The man rubbed his neck as he processed the dilemma.

“Well, there you have it. Matt take me home,” Jason said as he pushed himself off of the couch and out of the front door.

Matt exhaled. “Babe… I’ll be right back. Okay? Jason has driving anxiety and I can’t just let him walk home in the middle of the night.”

When Apollo didn’t respond, Matt groaned as he turned to leave. He made his way to the driver’s seat of his car where he found Jason crying.

“What’s wrong with you now?” he snapped in aggravation.

“I apologized to him and he just disregarded everything when I’m trying so hard. I don’t want your opinion of me to be influenced by someone who doesn’t even like me.”

Matt didn’t reply as he started the car.

“Matt, you know me,” he wept. “I’m not an evil person.”

The man raised an eyebrow. “I know…which is why you couldn’t have come up with that entire plot by yourself. Why is Sophia so set on getting revenge on someone she doesn’t even know? It’s not like her to waste time on something that won’t benefit her.”

“Because I’m her brother and I was really upset over the chia pet thing.”

He scoffed. “Being family isn’t enough incentive for her. She must be up to something because she’s way too eager to help you. Any other time she’d just tell you to quit being a crybaby.”

Jason rolled his eyes. “Maybe she’s just being nice to her brother.”

“Maybe she’s just the one who forged your signature.”

The brunette gasped. “You think so? No- Soph wouldn’t do that.”

“I’m not sure…but it’s mighty funny that you go home and I suddenly get served.”

“I don’t knowwww,” he whimpered. “Maybe I’ll bring it up in our next conversation.”

“You better bring it up,” Matt hissed.

The man’s tone made Jason grin. “I’m glad that you’re showing so much passion about this.”

“I’m not,” he quickly retorted. “I just think it’s fucked up that someone would tamper with my life like that.”

The brunette’s smile became wider. “So, a divorce from me was tampering with your lifeee?” he asked in a chirpy tone comparable to schoolyard teasing.

“Yes,” Matt groaned in exasperation. “If we want to divorce we should be able to do it on our own terms and not by someone else putting their two cents in it.”

“I agree.”

There was a moment of silence before Jason spoke again.

“Do you still love me?”

“I’m not answering that.”

“What are you five? Why not?”

“Because you’ll take my answer and assume that I just want to faint in your arms again when I don’t.”

“So…if I call my lawyer and prove that this divorce is fraudulent and that we’re still legally married, will you be willing to work it out?”

Matt purposefully tapped the breaks extra hard, sending Jason to the verge of tears.

“Matttttt,” he sniffled. “Why’d you do that?”

“You’re home. Get out.”

Jason pouted. “You’re the worse faux ex-husband ever!” The brunette climbed out of the car and slammed the door as hard as he could.

“Later, Pumpkin,” he said just to get under the other man’s skin as he sped off.

“I hope he gives you Greek syphilis!”

—

Matt rushed to the nearest floral shop, bought a bundle of fresh violets and made his way back to his boyfriend’s house.

He knocked on the door and waited. After two minutes had passed, he pulled out his phone and selected the man’s contact.

“Hello?” Apollo rasped.

“Hi, I’m here. Are you asleep?”

“I was,” he groaned. “I have a shoot early in morning. Sorry to inconvenience you.”

“So you’re just not going to let me in?”

“Not at all. I want to be well rested for what may be one of the last bookings that I ever get.”

“Oh, come on. You’re an international model, of course you’ll be booked.”

“My agent called me and said that Anna Wintour herself was looking into doing an article about me, but after today she said that it wasn’t a good time. Coincidence, right?”

“Aw, babe, I’m so sorry. Just please let me in, I want to try and fix this and make it up to you.”

“I’m going to bed. But I’m sure your ex-husband could use your help. Maybe the lid on pickle jar is screwed on too tight,” he said before hanging up.

—

Early the next morning, Matt entered the IMG studio where he found Apollo posing with a woman as Mathu took their pictures.

“Apollo, where are you right now because it sure isn’t here,” the photographer reprimanded.

“Sorry…there’s just a lot on my mind.”

“Well push that to the side so I can get the shot. This is for Jimmy Choo, damn it.”

The model rolled his shoulders as he attempted to ignore Matt’s presence. He tried to be seductive and smolder but something was lacking causing the pink haired man to call him out on it once again.

“Apollo, darling, I may as well be shooting a guy at the mall because that’s what you’re giving me right now. I need more!”

“Okay,” he exhaled. “Sorry.”

The man’s expression made Mathu’s heart melt.

“Don’t think that I don’t care, I’ve known you since you were a fetus. We’ll talk about last night later, but right now, we need to get this shot so we can make this money.”

Apollo nodded as he took a deep breath. The man finally remembered his co-star and began to interact with her; pulling the woman close by the waist and whispering into her ear.

She giggled.

“Ooo, that’s cute,” Mathu said in relief that he finally had something he could work with.

In return, the woman whispered something in Apollo’s ear and they both laughed. Matt felt a twinge of jealousy but he remained in his corner with folded arms as he continued to watch as the shoot got steamy.

Apollo repositioned them so that he was now behind her and from there, their natural chemistry took over with touching, arched backs and breathing that made Mathu more excited than ever.

“Yes! This is what I’m talking about! Yes, yes, grab her inner thigh. Ugh that’s so editorial.”

Matt rolled his eyes.

“Okay, my sweetheart with the tits, turn around like you’re gonna kiss and- yes!”

The woman gently cradled Apollo’s cheek while he stared seductively into the camera.

“You guys are making me hornyyy,” Mathu groaned, “horny for moneyyyy. Last few frames.”

The female model just went with the flow and moved closer and closer as each picture was taken, causing their lips to sensually collide when Mathu announced the last frame.

“That’s a wrap! We definitely got the shot and then some!”

—

(These photos served as inspiration <3)

  


 

—

“Good job,” Apollo told his co-star, kissing both her cheeks before she hugged Mathu and exited to her dressing room.

“Okay, you wanna talk about last night now or later?” the photographer asked.

“Later is fine.”

“Alright well if you need me, just moan and I’ll be there.” He kissed both of the model’s cheeks before leaving to go through his film.

“Well that was… interesting,” Matt finally said as he approached. “Guess you need a woman to be all over you to get a good shot.”

“I suppose. Is that why the ones you’ve taken of me are so terrible?”

Matt exhaled. “Apollo, I don’t want to do this.”

“Well neither do I but you came in here with that nasty attitude.”

“I know, I know I’m sorry. We didn’t get to talk last night and it just carried over into today and seeing her kiss all over you was bleh.”

“Well modeling is my job, so while you get to hold hands with your ex, at least I’m making money for it.”

Matt frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Apollo pulled out his phone and showed the man the screenshot that had been sent to him.

_JasonLent: #pickingupwhereweleftoff #❤_

“Is that not your hand in your car?”

“Oh my God,” Matt groaned in exasperation. “It wasn’t like that. He still has anxiety from that car accident I was telling you about. It put him in the hospital for a really long time and he still has problems to this day, I just wanted to comfort him.”

“I’m glad you were trying to comfort him. That makes one of us,” he retorted before making his way to his dressing room.

“Ughhh!” Matt grunted.

Moments later, Mathu returned to the room.

“Oh, hey boo! I didn’t know that you were here.” The man threw his arms around his crush and kissed both of his cheeks. “What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing just a little friction with Apollo.”

“Really?!” Mathu’s face lit up as he grabbed the man’s hand and dragged him to the nearest seating area. “Tell me all about it.”

Not sure if divulging information to the man would help him or hurt him, Matt chose his words carefully.

“Well, my ex-husband is back in town and he’s stirring the pot. Apollo’s not happy about it at all.”

“Well now he knows how I feel!”

Matt chuckled. “Is it karma?”

“Fuck yes it is!”

The man continued to laugh before sighing. “It’s just really complicated with my ex to the point where I can’t just abandon him and Apollo doesn’t necessarily understand that.”

“Just do what you feel is right. You know if you have to sit one or both of them down and say 'look this is how it’s gonna be, blah blah, either take it or leave it’. You have to do what’s best for you and if it’s meant to be with whomever, they’ll follow suit.”

Matt nodded as he considered the man’s advice.

“Which is why I’m willing to do anything you want,” Mathu chirped as he grabbed Matt’s hands.

He raised an eyebrow. “Anything?”

—

_Maybe she’s just the one who forged your signature._

Matt’s words played relentlessly in Jason’s mind as he called his attorney.

“Thank you for calling the UNHhhh law office, how may I help you?” the receptionist greeted.

“Hi, my name is Jason Lent and-”

The woman seemed to spit out her drink. “Say no more!”

“Um… okay?”

The call was immediately transferred.

“Hello, this is Brian. How are you Mr. Lent?”

“I’m good. I just have a few questions.”

“Sure.”

“When my divorce papers were filed, who signed them?”

“You did,” the man replied as if it obvious. “I questioned your state of mind because of all the crying and the headache you had. I found it a little strange, but you sister assured that it was fine to proceed.”

Headache, he thought as everything finally made sense. “My sister did?”

“Yeah, she was there when you signed. Am I missing something here? Do you not remember?”

“Oh no…I remember now,” he lied. “Thank you very much.”

Jason hung up the phone and immediately called his sister.

“J!” she blurted when she answered. “Why didn’t you call me sooner? The live feed of the party was fucking amazing. Did you see the look on Bob Mackie’s face?! Priceless,” she cackled.

“Sophia, why didn’t you tell me that you were there when I signed my divorce papers?”

Her laughing instantly stopped. “What are you talking about?”

“Soph, don’t play dumb. I called my lawyer and he told me you were there when I signed. You knew this whole time that it was legit and didn’t say anything!”

“Well what did you want me to do?! You were in the hospital still thinking that you were married, did you want me to be like…well not really?!”

“Yes! And it’s really fucked up that you didn’t!”

“Then you need to be mad at Vinny too because he knows just as much as I do. The shifty old man tries to play innocent but he’s shady as fuck.”

Jason tried to wrap his mind around what his sister was saying but instead he became even more confused and the tears that poured out of his eyes didn’t seem to help.

“I can’t believe you guys would let me do something like that, let alone keep it from me,” he wept.

“Boo fucking who, Jason. You can always get remarried to the man who never wanted to marry you,” she said curtly before hanging up.

Jason immediately called his ex-husband.

“Hello?” Matt answered, clearly agitated.

“Matt,” the brunette sniffled.

“What?” he groaned.

“I called my lawyer and he said that I signed the papers, but that I wasn’t in the right state of mind to sign them.”

There was a long pause before he responded. “You signed them?”

“Yes, but didn’t you hear the second part? I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. My head was killing me, I was super out of it and the next thing I remember was waking up in the hospital. Baby, I never wanted a divorce. I love you.”

“Just because you don’t remember, doesn’t mean that you didn’t do it, Jason. At the end of the day, you signed those papers and had those papers served to me. And what about the week prior to that? I didn’t receive a fucking phone call or anything from you. So as far as I’m concerned, it’s over because you wanted it to be. Delete the picture of us holding hands on Instagram. We’re not picking up where we left off because where we left off was me having my heart ripped out of my fucking chest,” he sniffled. “You don’t get to just be an asshole and then come back when it’s convenient for you. I’ve had it, Jason. You seriously need to work on yourself before I’d ever consider being with you again. Until then, please don’t contact me.” Matt wanted to hang up then and there, but he couldn’t before he said the next part. “And don’t do anything stupid. Try not to be so clumsy…don’t put metal in the microwave…if you take an Uber with a sketchy driver, have pepper spray handy, okay?”

At this point, the brunette was bawling his eyes out.

“But Matt,” he pleaded.

“I gotta go. Take care of yourself, Pumpkin.”

Once he heard the dial tone, Jason buried his face into his pillow and cried himself to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Sexual assault

Jason blindly reached for his phone as Max’s distinctive ringtone played.

“Hello?” he rasped.

“Darling, are you still sleeping? It’s nearly two.”

“So?”

“ _So_ , it’s my wedding day! You should’ve been here like yesterday. I wasn’t  worried at first since it only takes an hour to get here on the jet but the wedding is in three hours…and without a voice to convince me why I should go through with this, the Hooters down the street is looking more and more appealing.”

“Max, do not go to Hooters,” he groaned. “It’ll only scare you. You need to marry Danny because you love him,” he sniffled unconvincingly.

“Are you okay, darling?”

“No. My life is over. Officially.”

“I’m coming to see you,” he said in relief that he’d found a reason to leave.

“No! Max, I’m on way,” the brunette informed before hanging up.

—

Jason sniffled as he paced through the airport before an annoyingly familiar voice made him stop dead in his tracks.

“I’d be on the run if I were you too, Dardo,” Jake said, tone hinting at his certainty to make due on the threat he’d made at the party.

The brunette rolled his eyes as he turned around. “I’d never be on the run from you. If you must know, I’m going to my best friend’s wedding.”

Jake’s scowl fell faded. “Ma…Max is getting married today?”

“Yes, but that’s none of your business.”

The frown quickly returned. “It absolutely isn’t. I’m on my way to Jamaica because if you must know, I’m on my way to becoming an international model.”

“If you must know, I don’t care!”

“Oh I think we’ve established this. You don’t care about other people’s feelings or making fun of disabilities.”

“Jake, suck on a donkey dick and choke to death,” the brunette said as he turned on his heel and walked towards his terminal.

“Trash,” the other man mumbled as he turned in the other direction before hesitating.

—

Max paced the small room as he contemplated making a run for it when he heard a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

When his fiancé entered the room, Max jumped behind the changing screen. “Danny, what are you doing in here? It’s bad luck for us to see each other before the wedding.”

“I don’t believe in that superstitious nonsense.”

“I do.”

“Well I don’t! Look, would you just get over here?”

Max groaned as he emerged from his hiding spot.

“You look good, babe,” Danny complemented before leaning in to kiss him. Max turned his head, allowing the man’s lips to connect with his cheek.

“Thanks,” he exhaled.

“I brought you some things,” he said as he pulled a small red box from his pocket and handed it to his fiancé.

Max opened it to reveal the sapphire bracelet. “Aww, something blue.”

“Yeah, however that saying goes.” He grabbed the bracelet from its casing and slid it onto Max’s wrist.

“I love it.”

“I’m glad. And on that note,” Danny chirped as he pulled a stack of papers from his coat pocket, “I want you to look this over and sign it.”

“What is this?”

“A prenuptial agreement."

Max frowned. “And you’re bringing this to me right before our wedding?”

“Better late than never. Just look it over and tell me what you think.”

Max scanned through the pages. “What is this? ‘In the event that we should divorce, I will be entitled to my percentage of Malanaphy Inc. that I help build before the marriage’?”

“Well while you went college after high school, I went to work at your family’s company and practically made it what it is today. And if we ever separated, I don’t want to be slighted and have that taken from me.”

“Danny, I’d never do that to you.”

“I know, love, but this ensures that you mean it.”

Max rolled his eyes and continued to skim through the pages, mumbling as he read until something made his jaw drop. “In the event that I go to rehab?!”

“Honey, you’ve been drinking a lot lately. I didn’t want to say anything before but it’s pretty bad. And if you go to rehab for more than a month, you’ll have mandatory counseling because I refuse to be married to an alcoholic.”

“Alright, Daniel,” Max scoffed. “Is there anything else?”

“If you commit adultery, it’s an automatic divorce and I’m taking half of everything you own,” he said matter of factly.

Max concealed his gulp and pushed his recent indiscretion to the back of his mind. “And if you cheat?” he retorted.

“I’d never cheat. If you haven’t noticed, I’m very much in love with you and I want it to work, but this is for my protection. I never go out and party or drink, all I do is work so that we can have nice things.”

The more he spoke, the guiltier Max felt.

“You and Jason are always getting into shenanigans and if things get carried away one night, I want you take responsibility and-”

“Okay, okay. Danny, I get it.”

“So you’ll sign it?”

Max nodded.

The man grinned as he pulled out a pen labeled 'Groom-2B’ and handed it to his fiancé.

“Cute,” Max sighed.

“I had it made just for this,” he said, clearly proud of himself. “And if you’d like to call your lawyer to whip up something for me to sign really quickly, I’d love to.”

The grey haired man simply shook his head as he signed the prenup and returned the document to Danny.

His fiancé’s smile was soft, tucking the papers back into his coat pocket while he stole another kiss from Max’s cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“See you at the altar,” he said sweetly before exiting the room, leaving Max to collapse on the couch in shame as he reached for the whiskey he had hidden in his suitcase. The man opened it and chugged the liquor straight from the bottle.

When he heard footsteps clattering down the hall, Max swiftly lidded the bottle and tossed into into his luggage but the sound soon faded.

The man buried his face into his hands. “Ugh, this is not okay.”

Completely fed up, Max pushed himself off of the couch and out of the room. He made his way down the hall to where he knew his parents were lounging.

He knocked.

“Who is it?” his father rasped.

“Max.”

His mother immediately opened the door. “Honey, what are you doing here? Why aren’t you getting ready? Your hair, your tie, your-”

“Mother, I need to speak to Father alone.”

“Oh? What about?” she asked.

“Merium,” the man chastised over the hiss of his oxygen tank.

The woman simply nodded and exited the room while the man beckoned his son to sit in the seat across from him.

“How are you?” he rasped.

“Troubled,” Max admitted. “I’m not sure if you can smell very well with your cannula in, but I probably reek of alcohol.”

“Well this is a wedding, I wouldn’t expect anything less.” The man’s chuckle ended in a cough.

“I know but it’s not celebratory drinking. I… I just don’t know if I can do this.”

“Do you love Daniel?”

“Yes.”

“And you agreed to marry him when he asked, correct?”

“Yes, Father but-”

“Then there you have it. You don’t just get to make a decision like that and then change your mind at the last second. Time and money has been put into this day to make it special for you. You just have cold feet.”

“But-”

“Maxwell, I’m sick of all the ‘buts’.” The man’s attempt at raising his voice made him wheezy but he stoically continued to speak. “You being a homosexual was hard enough to accept and if you’re going to be with another man, Daniel is the only one that I see as suitable for you. He knows our family business like the back of his hand and now that I’m ill, it’s your job to take over. You are lucky to have found a partner with the same interests as you.”

“But we don’t have the same interests,” Max admitted. “Father, with all do respect, I went to school for English literature. I know nothing about BIA or monopolies or any of that stuff.”

The man let out a throaty cough. “You can learn. And I’m depending on you to learn. We’re all depending on you to learn. You have to keep the business in the family,” he coughed again, “keep our legacy going.”

“I will,” Max said quietly as he tried to hide the fact that he was more stressed than he was when he walked into the room.

“Good. Now go finish getting dressed.”

Max pursed his lips as he pushed himself out of his seat and towards the door. When he opened it, his mother lost her balance and practically fell into the room but her son quickly caught and steadied her.

“Were you listening?”

“Of course not,” she lied, “but whatever it was that you said has your father coughing up a lung. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”

“You have no idea,” he sighed as he exited and made his way back towards his room.

Max opened the door and exhaled in relief when he saw his friend seated on the couch, painting his fingernails.

“Oh darling, you made it!” he squealed as he threw his arms around Jason.

“Hey! Don’t fuck up my polish! This shit is expensive.”

Max immediately released him. “Sorryyyyy.”

“Damn, did you take a liquor bath?”

“No…but I’ve indulged,” he said unapologetically.

“You have a problem, Maxine.”

“I only consider it a problem if I’m struggling to stand.”

“Fair enough,” he sighed.

“So what’s up with you?”

“Turns out that I’m a big fucking loser who unknowingly divorced their husband and my sister and Vinny knew the entire time.”

Max gasped. “Oh my God. Why didn’t they tell you?!”

“I don’t know,” he sniffled. “Let’s just talk about something else. This is your big day.”

“Okay, okay. Will you do my hair?” Max asked as he retrieved the alcohol from his luggage.

“Yep, as soon as my nails dry.”

Max took a swig from the bottle. “I have an hour until my life changes…for better or for worse, we shall find out.”

“Oh hush, you’ll be fine. You’re gonna marry him, have like six kids and do everything that I couldn’t.”

Max pouted. “For what it’s worth, I’ll let you name every single one of them.”

“Hmm, how about Matthew, James, Lent, Apollosux Donkeydick, Ihate Greece, It’ll Neva Werq-” Jason burst into a cackle after seeing Max attempt to suppress his laughter.

“Um…they sound like really nice kids,” he chuckled.

“Of course they’ll be nice kids!”

“I mean with a whiskey lugging dad and a crazy uncle, why wouldn’t they be?”

“Exactly! But for real, no matter what you do, you know I’ll always have your back. Unless you’re being stupid,” he chirped.

“And that’s why I love you!” Max squealed as he threw his arms around his friend.

“Ugh, Maxine! My nails!”

—

Jason smoothed his dark hair into a slick ponytail before taking his spot underneath the wedding arch as Max’s best man.

After his friend made his way down the aisle, tipsy grin plastered on his face, the ceremony went on without a hitch.

As the couple held hands and recited their vows, with a lot of slurring on Max’s end, Jason felt sick to his  stomach when he saw Jake slide into the back pew of the church.

 _If he ruins this I swear to God_ , he thought as he gritted his teeth.

“If there’s anyone here who thinks that these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace,” the minister said. The brunette’s heart pounded against his ribcage as he watched Jake through narrowed eyes. He expected the man to stand, shout or even fake a loud cough, but to his surprise, the man didn’t do anything.

“Good,” the minister continued. “I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may now kiss your groom.”

Max threw his arms around Danny’s neck as he pulled him into a sloppy kiss while everyone in attendance cheered for them, including Jake.

“I love you,” Danny exhaled.

“Dittoooo. Now if you’ll excuse me,” Max slurred, “Imma go throw up.”

People found the statement odd until the man rushed out of the nearest exit. The guests shared expressions of confusion and concern but Max’s mother assured them that it was fine and encouraged everyone to make their way to the cocktail hour that had now begun.

Jason quickly took the opportunity to approach Jake.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he hissed. “I thought you were going to Jamaica.”

“I was, but I couldn’t miss this fucking spectacle that you’d mentioned at the airport,” he said half heartedly. “You thought I’d object to that shit didn’t you? Nope. They deserve each other. An asshole and an alcoholic cheater.”

“You need to leave. Now.”

“I will, but I’m gonna have a few drinks first.”

“No you won’t-”

“Keep your mouth shut and I’ll put in a good word with Matt for you.”

Jason scowled. “Fine,” he said through gritted teeth. “But you just better not upset Max.”

“I have absolutely nothing to say to Max.”

“He doesn’t have anything to say to you either. Today’s the happiest day of his life.”

Jake cackled. “Yeah I’m sure it is. Now if you’ll excuse me, imma go throw up,” he mocked before turning on his heel and making his way into the cocktail part.

 

Jason managed to successfully avoid Jake and when it was time for dinner, he made his way into the extravagantly decorated ballroom and quickly took his seat as the couple did what he assumed was their first dance. It solely consisted of Danny holding Max up as he attempted to glide the both of them across the hardwood.

“Ridiculous,” he chuckled as he took a sip of wine.

“Jason Dardo?” a voice that carried a hint of familiarity called from directly behind the man.

The brunette turned around and despite beard and bad dye job, immediately recognized man. “Acid?”

“Well nobody’s called me Acid since high school but yeah… how have you been? I heard you got into a bad car accident a while back, you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine for the most part. And yourself?”

“Well after college and not getting recruited by any football teams, I finally came out.”

“Really?” Jason asked, forcing himself to sound interested.  

“Yeah,” he said as he sat in the empty seat beside the brunette. “In school, I was never as brave as you…being out and proud…well you weren’t technically out but you didn’t exactly have to announce it.”

“Nope,” Jason said as he took another sip of wine.

“But we had our share of fun,” Acid exhaled as he gently placed his hand on the other man’s thigh.

Jason immediately pushed the advance away. “I wouldn’t say fun. It was high school and you were one of many,” he scoffed. “All the closeted jocks would wanna fuck me and then afterwards threaten to kick my ass if I told anyone but I’m not a punk bitch. They had to buy me shit to keep me quiet.”

“Do you still have that Rolex I gave you?”

“Pfft, hell no. I think I traded it for a year’s worth of personalized condoms.”

Acid laughed. “That’s amazing.”

“Duh.”

“You still accepting gifts?”

Jason scowled. “I’m not a fucking prostitute.”

“I’m kidding! I’m kidding! You’re much too beautiful for that. You still look seventeen.”

“Barf,” he mumbled. “You should really find your assigned seat because they’re serving dinner soon.”

“This is my seat,” Acid said as he picked up his name plate and showed it to him.

 _Fuck you Max_ , Jason thought. The man checked the tag of the seat to the right of him. “Matt,” he sighed. “I guess they have been planning this for months now.”

“You okay?” the other man asked.

“I’m fine,” was his cold reply as he returned the tag.

Acid smiled. “Good.” He raised his wine glass. “A toast to rekindling old friendships?”

“Sure. Whatever.” The brunette chugged the contents of this glass and before demanding the nearest server for his own bottle.

—

Since Jason had lost his inhibitions and Acid wouldn’t stop talking, the two of them ended up on their second bottle of wine within in hour.

“And remember the time behind the bleachersss?” Acid slurred before cackling.

“Your dick was alrightttt, I mean it wasn’t the worst but it wasn’t amazing eitherrr,” Jason replied.

“I’ll change your mind tonightttt.”

Jason shook his head. “Nopeee. I gotta pee.” He pushed himself out of his chair and out of the ballroom where he spotted Jake sitting alone at the bar. Jason pouted before approaching. He threw his arms around the man.

“Heyyy Jakey-Pooo.”

Jake cackled. “Um, hi? What the fuck did you drink?”

“Vintage Merlotttt. It’s my favorite,” he chirped.

“Well that’s good I’m glad you’re having a good time,” he said as he slid out of the uncomfortable embrace.

“Are you having funnnn?”

“Yeah…I couldn’t bring myself to have those drinks I mentioned earlier, but I had a tea and the music is really good.”

“Goodddd. Okay so listen,” he slurred.

“What’s up?”

“Matthew James Lent, my heart, is with another man and I need youuuu to tell himmm that I’m pregnant so he can come back to me.”

Jake suppressed his laughter. “Is that so? How far along are you?”

“I’m gonna have this baby any day now and he needs to be there for ussss.”

“I’ll be sure to pass on the message.”

“Thank youuuu,” he said as he threw his arms around the other man once again.

Jake politely pushed himself away. “I’m gonna go smoke a cigarette and then probably head out to the airport.”

“You wanna know a secret?” the brunette whispered.

The man exhaled. “Sure, Jason.”

“I think Max should’ve married youuuu.”

“I think you must’ve put a little crack in your wine. I’m not gonna be somebody’s secret.”

“He didn’t mean it like thatttt.”

“Okay. Well I appreciate your opinion. Now you wanna know a secret?”

“Mm hmmm.”

“I think Matt is so weak for you that he’s really struggling with not just giving up everything to be with you again. But he’s trying to hold out as long as possible in hopes that you get your shit together.”

Jason gasped. “I willllll I promiseeeee.”

He patted the man’s shoulder. “Good luck.”

“Thankssss.”

Jake smiled and made his way to the nearest exit.

Jason did a little dance. “Matt still lovesss me. He wants to hugggg me. He wants to- oh Jakey waitttt,” he whined as followed the man out of the door but he was nowhere to be found. “Jake!”

There was no response so the brunette groaned. And as he turned to return inside the building, Acid had exited and was now approaching him.

“Did you pee?” he asked.

Jason gasped. “I didn'tttt.” The brunette wobbled towards the nearest bush. He unzipped his pants in that classless fashion that boys did before peeing onto the shrub.

“Mmm,” Acid hummed. “Leave it out for meeeee.”

“Eww noooo.”

“Why not? We used to do sexy stuff. Let’s have some of that fun again.”

Jason zipped his pants as Acid pulled him close from behind. He quickly snatched away.

“Because I’m not a seventeen year old whore anymoreee.”

“That doesn’t matter,” he growled as he grabbed at Jason’s arms. “We can still have fun.”

“Nooo,” Jason protested, doing his best to pull away from the man but the ex-football player easily overpowered him.

Acid firmly gripped the man’s small wrists into one hand while he reached into the brunette’s pants to grope him with the other.

“Stop!” Jason pleaded.

“You stop! We could have fun if you’d stop!”

Jason finally managed to free one of his hands and took the opportunity to claw at Acid’s face, effectively drawing blood.

“You little bitch!” the man fumed as he put all of his strength into slapping the brunette so hard that he fell to the ground. While he was down, an enraged Acid ripped at Jason’s pants, effortlessly popping the zipper and snapping off the button.

Despite the throbbing pain on the left side of his face, Jason continued to kick, scream and do his best to defend himself.

“Acid, stop!” he cried.

The drunken attacker’s eyes were dilated with rage as he straddled the man, pinned his arms against the cold concrete with his forearm and yanked down brunette’s pants with his other hand.

All Jason could do was plead, cry and pray that the attack would end soon.

“Please let me go,” he begged once more as Acid undid his own belt buckle.

“You should’ve just given me what I wanted,” he grunted. “Now I have to take it.”

“Okay, okay,” he sniffled, clearly defeated. “I’ll do it.”

Acid flashed a half smile. “Really, baby?”

The term made Jason sick to his stomach but he nodded. “Just like old times,” he said in a shaky voice.

His attacker released the brunette’s thin arms and kissed the pale skin of his neck.

Before his freedom could be compromised again, Jason’s survival mode kicked in.

“No means no!” he screeched as he punched Acid in the balls with all his might. The man doubled over in pain and the brunette shoved the man off of him and took off as fast as he could.

“It was half padded by a sock, you lying bitch!” Acid wheezed from behind him as he quickly recovered from the blow. Being in top athletic shape, he caught up to Jason in the matter of seconds. He was slammed against the ground by the man once again, immediately crippling him by two punches to his face.

“Help! Someone please hel-” Jason managed to cry out before his attacker’s large hands were around his throat. Jason’s airway was instantly cut off and his attempts to pry the man’s fingers away were futile.

As the searing pain swelled throughout his body, all Jason could do was think about Matt and how much he loved him.

When his vision began to cloud, an odd sense of peace washed over him. Even if he couldn’t have Matt, he wanted the man to be happy. Forever.

He could feel Acid tug at his pants and the cold concrete underneath him wasn’t what sent chills down his spine, but the attackers unwelcome touch creeping along his inner thigh, purposefully taunting him as the light faded from his eyes.

Jason accepted his fate when suddenly he could breathe again. Although excruciating, he graciously took in each breath as if it was a personal gift from God himself.

“Oh my God! Oh my God, darling!” Max screamed in horror as he dropped to the ground and pulled his friend into his lap.

Jason felt the warmth of the man’s tuxedo jacket drape over the exposed part of his body as he buried his face into his shirt, drenching it in tears.

“Jake, stop!” Max pleaded. “You’re gonna kill him!”

“He deserves to die!” the man fumed just as more guests poured into the parking lot to separate the brawling men.

 _Jake?_ the brunette thought. He had no idea what had happened but he was grateful that the ordeal was over.

Soon after, an ambulance and the police arrived to access the damage. Jason was loaded into the back of the emergency vehicle, along with a slightly bruised Jake and followed by Max.

“Are you sure you want to leave your wedding?” Jake asked.

“My best friend was just sexually assaulted. Nothing is going to stop me from being by his side.”

Jason cringed at the term. “No,” he protested in a raspy voice, pushing past the fact that his throat felt like he’d swallowed an entire vat of shattered glass. “I wasn’t sexually assaulted. He didn’t get a chance to touch my dick or anything before you guys got him.”

“Darling, he still touched you against your will, punched you in the face. It’s an assault.”

“No,” Jason wept. “I’m not defending him by any means, but I’m defending my own sanity. I can’t accept anymore negativity in my life. I don’t want to be some tragic victim. It could’ve been a lot worse and I just can’t-” His already weakened voice went out once the tears became too overwhelming.

Max wrapped his arms around his friend as the doors to the ambulance were slammed shut allowing the vehicle to speed off to the nearest hospital.

—

_“Which is why I’m willing to do anything you want,” Mathu chirped as he grabbed Matt’s hands._

_He raised an eyebrow. “Anything?”_

—

After his photoshoot, Apollo changed into his street clothes. And when he exited the dressing room, he expected his boyfriend to still be there, but Matt was nowhere to be found.

The model sighed, pulled the hood of his coat over his head and made his way to the exit. He wrinkled his nose and quickly sloshed through the snow towards his car.

Once he made it home, he called Matt but it went straight to voicemail. The man mumbled something in Greek before showering and going to bed early.

—

Apollo groaned the next morning when his doorbell rang incessantly. Not caring that he was only in his boxers, he pushed himself out of bed and towards the front door. He flung it open and was greeted by Matt.

The man folded his arms over his chest at the burst of cold air that surged into his house as he tried to figure out what the man was doing there.

“You’re still not dressed?!” Matt asked.

Apollo frowned. “What? Dressed for what?”

“With Mathu’s connections, I pulled a few strings and your meeting with Anna Wintour is in forty-five minutes.”

“Oh my God! Matt, really? Don’t joke like that.”

“Yes! I’d never joke like that, babe. I felt so bad about what Jason did. He didn’t think of the consequences of his actions so I took it upon myself to try and fix it.”

Apollo mumbled something in his native language.

“What does that mean?”

“I’m just saying that he’s an adult and he should think about how what he does can affect others.”

“He should but this isn’t about him, it’s about you. And you now have forty-three minutes to get ready.”

“Okay, okay! Oh my God, moró thank you so much!”

“You’re welcome, babe.”

The man was thanked again by the tender kiss that Apollo placed on his lips before rushing into his bedroom.

“Opa!” Matt hear the man shout in excitement as the clatter of shoes and clothing were tossed across his room in effort to find something to wear.

The model’s excitement made Matt smile. “Things are looking up, babe.”

—

Matt and Apollo walked hand in hand as they exited the legendary editor’s office.

“Moró, did you hear her say that she’s been following my career for awhile now?! And she looks forward to seeing what I do next. I can’t believe it! And she liked my shirt! Ahhh, that was  amazinggg!”

“No, the fact that you’re gonna have a six page spread in Vogue is amazing,” Matt added. “Are you gonna be ready for your the shoot tomorrow?”

“A model is always ready. You’ll be there right?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the end of the world, babe.”

Apollo grinned. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime and it’s all because of you,” the model said as he pulled his boyfriend into a passionate kiss.

The man scoffed. “It’s because of your talent.”

“Well I’m still very… _very_ grateful. I’ll…show you…just how… grateful I am… tonight,” he promised between lusty kisses along Matt’s jaw and sensitive neck. “All night long.”

—

“Fuckkkk, Apollo,” Matt moaned as the orgasm surged through his body causing him to tremble.

Apollo intensified the sensation by nibbling along the man’s collarbone. “Ready for round three?”

“Give me a minute,” Matt panted.

The model smirked as he sat back to give his boyfriend some time to recover. “I love you, beautiful.”

Matt responded by pulling the perfectly sculpted man down into a passionate kiss. “I’m ready,” he whispered.

Before Apollo could continue his lust driven pounding, his boyfriend’s phone began to ring.

“Ignore it,” the model growled.

Matt giggled and nodded before recognizing the ringtone. “Wait, that’s Jake. You know he flew to Jamaica today. Let me just make sure he’s alright.”

Apollo obliged, giving his boyfriend ample room to grab his cellphone and answer it.

Soon after saying hello, the model watched as his boyfriend’s face morphed from content to horrified.

He frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Matt ignored Apollo as he sat up and pushed himself away from the man. “Is he okay?” He paused and waited for a response. “Oh my fucking God! Are you serious?! I’m on my way!”

The man hung up the phone and quickly pushed himself off of the couch before Apollo caught his wrist to stop him.

“Matt what’s going on?” he demanded.

“Jason was attacked by some guy basically trying to rape him- I don’t know the details, I don’t care but I just have to go.”

“Oh…” Apollo exhaled as he released him. “Is he okay?”

Matt shoved his legs into his jeans. “Physically, he’s pretty beat up but he’ll be okay but emotionally, I’m sure he’s destroyed right now. Ugh, I just have to go.”

“But what about my shoot tomorrow?” he asked quietly. “You said you wouldn’t miss it for the end of the world.”

“Maybe this is the end of _my_ world,” Matt replied in a snappy tone that he instantly regretted. “Apollo… I-”

“No, I understand,” the model sniffled as he pulled his boxers over his aching dick. “I just hope to have an ex as supportive as you one day.”

The statement made Matt’s gut wrench, but there was nothing else he could say as he pulled on his coat.

“I’ll call you before your shoot tomorrow,” he promised.

Apollo didn’t respond out of fear that he’d cry in front of the man. He simply gathered his dirty clothing in his arms and entered his bedroom.

To avoid feeling any worse, Matt pulled his hood over his head and exited, quickly closing the door to Apollo’s condo behind him.

—

“I don’t want to be here anymore,” Jason sighed as gently rubbed his neck.

“Matt’s on his way,” Jake assured.

“What did you tell him?”

“Just that a fucking pervert tried to force himself on you and when you wouldn’t let him, he tried to kill you.”

“Oh my God. He’s gonna be so worried.”

“Isn’t that what you want? At least you know he cares.”

Expression filled with chagrin, Max stared down at his boots as he stood in the corner of the room.

“No,” the brunette groaned, causing him to wince in pain. “I’m sick and tired of being the source of his stress. I don’t want to be treated like a baby anymore.”

“That’s a first,” Jake mumbled under his breath.

“I had an epiphany. A strange sense of peace comes over you when you think you’re going to die and now I just need to be a better person. And this incident will not get me down,” he said stoically.

“Beautifully worded, darling.”

“Thank you. I just refuse to be a crybaby anymore.”

Matt rushed into the room. “Pumpkin,” the man panted frantically. “Are you okay?”

Jason burst into tears. “Matt,” he wept as he reached for him.

“Refuse to be a crybaby, huh?” Jake mumbled.

Max shot him a look.

“Shouldn’t you be getting back to your husband? He’s hardly been able to enjoy his honeymoon.”

“Um, could I speak to you outside for a minute?”

Jake scoffed. “No.”

The grey haired man pursed his lips as he exited the room.

Matt wrapped his arms around the brunette and Jason did the same. Despite the pain, he took a deep inhale; intoxicating himself on the stale smell of travel that the other man carried. “I missed you,” he said, sniffling back tears.

“I’m so fucking sorry that I wasn’t there. I was invited and I let bullshit get in the way or else this never would’ve happened.”

“Shhh, don’t blame yourself. Shit happens in life but the important part is that I’m fine.”

“Jason you have a fucking black eye and a bruised up neck! That’s not fine! I swear to God I’ll kill that guy!”

“I tried,” Jake mumbled.

“Noooo, Matt shhhh,” Jason calmly urged. “He’ll have to suffer the consequences of what he did, but I don’t want that baggage that allowing myself to be his victim carries.” The brunette wiped his eyes. “And if I’m not harboring any resentment towards him, then neither should you.”

Matt hardly recognized his ex-husband as he spoke with more maturity and wisdom than he’d ever seen before. “Pumpkin… I don’t know what to say. I just never want you to be put in a situation like that ever again. You have to be protected.”

“I’ll take a self defense class.”

“And I want to take you to the shooting range.”

Jason’s eyebrows shot up. “That’d be fun.”

Matt smiled.

“So how’s Apollo? Does he know that you’re here?”

“He knows… I don’t think he’s too happy about it, but there’s nothing I can do change that.”

“Oh no, Matt you have to call him and fix it.”

Even Jake was stunned by the statement.

“What?” Matt asked in disbelief.

“I’ve seen how happy Apollo makes you. He’s nice and he deserves to have a good guy like I know that you can be.”

Matt raised an eyebrow as he gently pressed the back of his hand against Jason’s cheek.

The brunette giggled. “I don’t have a fever.”

“Then…why-” Matt decided to drop the subject after figuring that it was selfish for him to be in a relationship and to question why his ex would support it.

“I’m really glad that you’re here though.”

Matt’s smile was soft as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind Jason’s ear.

“I’ll call Vinny so that he can take us to my house."


	9. Chapter 9

Matt grabbed Jason’s hand to help the man off of his hospital bed. “Be careful,” he urged.

“I am. Can you hand me my phone?”

The man grabbed the device off of the nightstand and passed it to the brunette. He began to scroll through his contacts.

“Vinny never keeps up with his phone anymore,” he sighed.

“Then how do you ever reach him?”

“I have to call the house and have someone intercom him to the phone.”

“Crazy.”

Jason nodded in exasperation before selecting the number he wanted and placing the device to his ear.

“Hello?” Bill, the head security guard answered.

“Bill, it’s Jason. Could you tell Vinny to pick me up from Madison hospital’s emergency center?”

“Um…Vinny doesn’t work here anymore,” he awkwardly informed.

“What?!” he screeched. “Bill that’s a sick fucking joke.”

“It isn’t a joke…Ms. Sophia fired him a few days ago. I haven’t heard from him since. Poor guy was absolutely devastated.”

“What do you mean Sophia fired him?! Ugh, I’ll kill her! Bill, come and get me now!” Jason hung up the phone and began to rush towards the door.

“Whoa, slow down,” Matt pleaded as he extended his arms to act as the man’s safety net.

“Matt, don’t touch me right now,” the brunette hissed as he stormed pass him to the hospital’s exit.

Since he’d never seen his ex-husband this livid before, Matt had no idea what to do or expect but he quickly collected the man’s belongings and followed him out of the door.

—

As Bill pulled up to the Dardo estate, Jason didn’t even let the car come to a complete stop before he jumped out and sprinted up the limestone steps of the massive entrance.

“Jason!” Matt called after him. Finally winning the battle against his seat belt, he hopped out of the car to chase after the brunette.

But Jason was too far gone to hear anything the man said as he rushed through his childhood home. “Where are you?! If you don’t come out now, I’ll rip this fucking place apart until I find you!”

“What the fuck?” a confused Sophia said as she descended the stairs.

“Bitch,” Jason growled as he charged her. “What did you do?!”

Sophia didn’t have enough time to react before her brother’s palm collided with her cheek in a loud slap that seemingly echoed throughout the entire house.

“Jason!” Matt said in shock as he quickly grabbed the man from behind.

“Have you lost your fucking mind?!” Sophia exploded through tears, a natural reaction from the stinging that radiated through her face. In retaliation, the green girl eyed lunged at her brother but Matt somehow managed to keep the siblings apart just until security was able to grab Jason while he detained Sophia.

“Why did you fire Vinny?!” the man demanded.

“Is that what this is about?! That old man was starting to get senile so I fired his ass! And I’ve already replaced him so fucking deal with it!”

Jason let out an animalistic snarl as he attempted to twist out of his restraint. “Fuck you, Sophia! You’re dead to me!”

“Boo-fucking-hoo! I don’t give a fuck! It’s not like you care about our family name anyways! ‘I’m a Lent, I’m a Lent’,” she mocked, “you’re a piece of shit! Just because you get married doesn’t mean that you abandon your real family!”

“Vinny is my real family! I’ll never claim you again!”

“Ugh, I fucking hate you! I hope you choke to death on one of the many dicks that you swallow!”

“Okay this is getting way out of hand,” Matf interjected.

“Nobody asked you!” Sophia growled. “And get your peasant hands off of me!”

When Matt didn’t immediately oblige, the girl began to snap at him as if she was a rabid dog. After she became within centimeters of biting his nose, the man released her. Sophia used the opportunity for her retaliation, slapping Matt as hard as she could.

The man gritted his teeth and accepted the blow but Jason went ballistic.

“Don’t you dare touch him!” he shouted, practically foaming at the mouth as he writhed in Bill’s arms.

“Fuck you both! Bill get them out of my house!”

“Your house?!”

“Yes, my house! I pay the bills therefore it’s my house and I’m kicking you out of it! You’re lucky I’m not calling the cops on you for hitting me.”

“Call the cops!” he challenged. “I’m not scared of them but they’ll have to lock me up after I’m done with you!”

Sophia clapped condescendingly. “Bravo, Jason. Bravo. I’m dead to you and I think you’re a piece of shit. Delete my number, I’ll delete yours and we can leave it at that. You’ll still get your inheritance because that’s clearly all you care about. Get out of my house, get out of my life; we’re done.”

Matt wanted to protest and call for a truce because he knew how much they meant to each other but after what the girl said next, it became clear that it was a slim chance.

“Hopefully the old man has found a bus stop or a box to sleep in at night. That’s if he hasn’t been mugged…or worse.”

Rage fueled tears began to spill down Jason’s cheeks and he shouted whatever profanity or threat he could as Bill dragged him out of the house.

“Jason, Jason, stop,” Matt ordered when he started to take his anger out on the security guard, scratching and attempting to bite to free himself.

“Matt, it’s not fair!” he wept. “She’s just such an evil cunt and now I probably won’t be able to see Scout. I-I-” the man was so upset that he began hyperventilating.

“Shhh, Pumpkin. Breathe,” Matt cooed as he signaled for Bill to release him. The man pulled the brunette into an embrace. “We can’t worry about her right now, we have to worry about Vinny. We’ll find him. Okay?”

“Okay,” he sniffled.

Before he knew it, Matt kissed the brunette’s shoulder. Jason froze.

The man turned bright red. “Sorry,” he whispered.

“It’s okay.”

Matt smoothed a wild strand of Jason’s ebony waves. The gesture was affectionate but the brunette caught the man’s hand and pulled it away.

“Let’s find Vinny.”

An unknown feeling surged through Matt at the implied rejection but he simply pursed his lips as he nodded.

Jason pouted. “I can’t think of anything else until I find him, Matt.”

“We will, Pumpkin.”

—

The duo immediately hired a private investigator and within minutes, the man was able to access Vinny’s credit card statements.

Jason snatched the paper and quickly began to analyze it. “Subway…laundry mat…Four Seasons downtown!”

“That place is expensive,” Matt commented.

“He worked for my family for fifty-one years. The job had it’s problems, but money wasn’t one of them.”

—

Jason rushed through the lobby of the luxurious hotel to the front desk.

The receptionist instantly recognized him.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Dardo. How are you?”

Jason wasn’t surprise at the familiarity but he didn’t have time for small talk. “Is there a Vinny-”

“Yes, there is,” she replied before he could even finish.

“Well, do you think you could-”

“Room 202.”

“Thank you,” Jason sighed as he turned on his heel towards the elevator.

“That was eerily easy,” Matt chuckled.

“Well, my family’s donated a ton of money to this place and just the beautification of downtown in general so yeah.”

The man simply shook his head as they took the lift to the second floor. They rushed to door 202 and began to knock on the solid oak.

Moments later, it was opened by a surprised Vinny who exploded in excitement when he saw the brunette.

“Mio figlio!” he squealed as he threw his arms around the man. “Come in, come in!”

Matt followed Jason into the room Vinny had obviously rearranged to his taste. Everything was immaculate and each item clearly had a designated spot.

“Vin, what did you do to this place?”

“It was just not up to standard and dio mio! The kitchen! I had to get in there and whip their service into shape! _Now_ they may call themselves five star.”

The young duo laughed.

“You just can’t help yourself, can you Vinny?” Matt chuckled.

“For the past fifty decades, organization has been my life. I can’t stop now,” he sighed before finally adjusted his glasses, getting a good look at Jason.

“What happened to your face?!”

“I was attacked,” the brunette sighed before quickly changing the subject. “Vinny, why didn’t you call me when Sophia fired you? She can’t do that and calling me was the first thing you should’ve done.”

“Attacked by who?!” the man pressed.

“Vin, that’s not up for discussion right now. I need to know why you haven’t tried to contact me.”

“I felt so guilty,” he quietly admitted.

“About what?”

“Knowing of the divorce and having to keep it from you.”

“So you did know?” Jason asked in disbelief. “I just thought Sophia was talking shit.”

“Mio figlio, I’m sorry. And I have nothing against you Matthew but I just want Jason to be happy.”

At the man’s words, the brunette instantly reverted to being a child again in front of his father figure. “No you don’t want me to be happy!” he wept. “Because if you did, you wouldn’t have lied to me!”

“Jason,” Vinny sighed.

“No,” he sniffled. “I’m just so sick and tired of people trying to dictate my life and you’re no different!”

Matt thought the scene was becoming a bit dramatic, but he knew better than to intervene.

“I’m _so_ glad that you’re _so_ happy here in your fancy hotel while I have to go back to my life and try to pick up the pieces!”

“I’m sorry! What else can I do?”

“I don’t accept your apology! You’re just as selfish as Sophia.”

Those words hurt the man most of all.

“Jason,” Matt attempted to reprimand.

“No, Matt,” he sobbed. “I’m just so sick of everyone!”

Before he could become hysterical, the brunette stormed out of the room.

“Sorry, Vinny,” the man exhaled as he followed his ex-husband out of the room. “Jason!”

The brunette stopped in the corridor and pressed his back against the wall.

“Are you okay?” he asked once he finally caught up with him.

Jason nodded. “I’m sorry for being  dramatic. It just hurts to have someone you’re so close to you betray you.”

“Yeah, I know,” Matt said underhandedly.

His tone made Jason pout. “Matt, had I known that I divorced you, I would’ve been on the first flight to explain myself.”

“I know.”

“And I know there isn’t an excuse for just ignoring you for that week, but I was upset about what you said. I hope you forgive me.

“I do,” Matt exhaled as he unconsciously moved closer to the brunette. “And I hope you forgive me.”

“I do. Like, that’s not how a marriage works. But I promise that I’m working on myself. I want to be better, not even for you anymore, but for myself.”

“I’m so proud of you,” he said with dilated eyes.

The warmth of Matt’s breath hit Jason’s neck and it made him wonder if the man knew just how lustful he was being. There was nothing in the world that he wanted more than to be with Matt again but the desire to work on himself was stronger.

“Thank you,” he said with a friendly smile as he wiped any remaining tears away. “So how are you, Matthew James?”

The man’s mouth turned up at the corners. “I’m okay. Once your bruises heal, I’ll be better.”

“I bruise like a peach so it’s probably way worse than it looks way worse than it is.”

“You shouldn’t be bruised at all. Nobody has the right to put their hands on you…unless you ask them to,” he said quietly with a hint of suggestion.

Jason raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know…some people like to be spanked or choked during sex and whatnot.”

“Oh, true. Does Apollo?” he challenged just to make the man uncomfortable.

Matt felt a twinge of guilt. “Um…no. He doesn’t cause it’d leave a mark and ya know, models have to be flawless.”

“Makes sense. He is pretty perfect.”

The man’s expression was incredulous.

“What?” the brunette asked.

“The other day you were saying how wrong he was for me and now he’s perfect?”

“Well, I wasn’t a changed man the other day.”

Matt smirked. “A changed man, huh?”

“Yes. I’m a mature, sophisticated man.”

“Oh my God, a spider!”

Jason screeched as he bolted down the corridor causing Matt to burst into laughter.

“Real sophisticated,” he teased.

“You’re such a jerk!”

“I missed youuu.”

Jason blew him a raspberry.

“Whelp, there goes mature,” he chuckled.

“And to think that I was gonna buy you some donuts,” the brunette scoffed as he continued on down the corridor towards the elevator.

“Oh no wait!” Matt pleaded as he followed him.

When they entered the lift, Matt caught a glimpse of Jason’s smirk.

“Still weak for donuts I see.”

“It’s not the only thing I’m weak for,” he said quietly, but with the tension that filled the elevator, you’d think that the man had shouted it to the heavens.

Right as the lust in Matt’s eyes nearly broke him, the elevator doors slid open and Jason rushed out.

Since staying at his childhood home currently wasn’t an option, the brunette went to another hotel where he booked he and Matt separate rooms on different floors.

When the man sent him a text message, Jason felt like he was in high school again.

M: Thank God! At this distance, I’m safe from your night farts

J: Pfft whatever

M: you know it’s true

J: I know you’re a dork

M: only for you Pumpkin

J: we aren’t together anymore, you can’t call me that

There was a long pause before Matt replied.

M: okay…

J: are you mad?

M: nope, dipstick

J: dipstick? Lol

M: yep, goodnight dipstick

J: you can’t call me that either!

Five minutes later

J: you can NOT call me dipstick!

M: whatcha gonna do about it, dipstick?

J: idk, egghead. I’ll figure something out

M: well when you find out, let me know dipstick

J: I will, egghead!

M: goodnight, dipstick

J: goodnight, egghead


	10. Chapter 10

  * “Babe, we’re home,” Jacob announced with Scout and several shopping bags in his arms.

“Home,” Scout repeated with a giggle.

“Yeahhh, buddy let’s go find Mommy.”

They took the elevator to the couple’s bedroom and when they entered, they discovered Sophia at her Vanity applying an aloe vera cream to the red swelling that had taken over the entire left side of her face.

Jacob dropped the bags. “What happened to you?”

She took a deep breath. “Jason found out that I fired Vinny and he was so upset that he stormed in here and…” Sophia did her best to suppress her tears but it was futile as the intense emotions of the incident boiled over, “he slapped me.”

“He hit you?!” Jacob exploded.

“Yeah,” Sophia sniffled. “Like, I fucking love my brother and I hate that it’s gone this far. I can admit that I fucked up but I would’ve never expected him to hit me in a million years. And now I can never see us being as close as we were,” she wept.

“Mama,” Scout whimpered as he reached for her.

Sophia grabbed her son from her fiancé’s arms and the toddler immediately wrapped his arms around his mother neck.

“Babe, I don’t give a fuck who he is. Brother or not he will not get away with putting his hands on you. I’ll take care of it.”

“What are you going to do?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Just don’t hurt him,” she sniffled. “He’s been through a lot.”

“Fuck that,” the boy snarled. “He didn’t care about your feelings or your fucking face when he hit you!”

The more he thought about it, the more livid Jacob became.

“Okay,” she sighed. “I just don’t want this to become any worse.”

“Don’t worry about anything, babe. I always got your back.” Jacob wiped her tears away and tenderly kissed her pouty lips. “Scout and I picked up some stuff for the wedding. I want you to take a look and maybe it’ll make you feel better.”

He handed the girl one of the bags and she pulled out the matching father and son bowties in Sophia’s favorite shade of purple.

“Aww, babe I love these!”

“Yeah? I thought they’d make a good look for Scout and I at the wedding.”

“You both will look so handsome.” She turned to the toddler who was still holding her neck. “Did you pick this out, baby? It’s so prettyyy.”

“Prettyyyy,” the toddler giggled.

Sophia kissed his cheek.

Jacob admiringly watched the mother and son. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you two.”

“Kiss, kiss,” Scout urged.

Jacob’s smile was warm as he kissed his fiancee and then the toddler.

“Kiss, kiss,” the boy repeated with a cheeky grin.

His parents took the hint, smothering their baby’s hair and face in loving kisses causing the toddler to burst into happy giggles.

—

Matt woke up to a text message from Jason.

J: when your spootie self wakes up, come to my room for breakfast

The man instantly jumped out if bed and rushed through the shower as if it was a car wash, brushing his teeth with one hand and washing his hair with the other.

He had no change of clothes, forcing him to secure the fluffy robe around himself before making his way to Jason’s room. He knocked.

Moments later, the brunette, also cladded in a plush robe answered the door.

“Good morninggg,” he greeted.

“Sup?”

“Nothing but I took it upon myself to order you some breakfast.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Egghead,” he chirped as he turned to jump on his bed, being careful not to flip over the food trays.

Matt chuckled and settled on the bed next to him. “Your face is looking better.”

The brunette cackled. “Gee, thanks!”

“I didn’t mean it like that! You know your face always looks good.”

“I guess,” he sighed as he picked up a piece of bacon and began to nibble when there was a knock on the door. His eyebrows furrowed.

“Expecting someone?” Matt asked.

“No.”

Jason pushed himself off of the bed and over towards the door. The second he opened it, Jacob’s fist collided with the man’s face, knocking him to the floor as if he was a ragdoll.

“What the-” Matt got out before springing off of the bed and slugging Jacob on the right cheek in Jason’s defense.

Jacob groaned and stopped himself mid-swing from hitting the man in retaliation. “Stay out of this Matt! This has nothing to do with you!”

“When you barged in here and punch Jason in the fucking face you made it about me!” Matt exploded as he swung again.

Jacob deflected the blow before hitting the man twice in the stomach, causing him to double over.

“It doesn’t involve you! This is a warning for you Jason,” he hissed to the man who was now on the floor in the fetal position, sobbing. “Don’t you ever put your fucking hands on Sophia again.”

“Don’t touch Jason again!” Matt shouted in a sneak attack as he swung at Jacob once more but the fit football player dodged the attempt before securing his victory with a punch directly to Matt’s nose.

“Fuck!” the man groaned in pain, aware that his nasal bridge had been broken.

“I told you to stay out of it,” Jacob panted. “Jason, you’re out of our lives for good. Don’t expect to see Sophia or Scout again,” he practically spat before storming out of the room.

“Ja…Jason, are you okay?” Matt asked as he cupped his nose to catch the blood that was spilling out.

“No I’m not okay,” the brunette sobbed. “Shit keeps happening to me. I’m tr-tr-trying so hard to be good but the universe doesn’t seem to give a fuck.”

“I care, Jason. And you are an amazing person, shit just happens.” He knelt down and pulled the weeping man into his lap to access the damage that Jacob had done; a fresh bruise already forming on top of already blackened eye, in addition to a busted lip. “I’ll get you some ice.”

When Jason finally heard the man’s nasally voice, he gasped. “Oh my God, Matt. Let me see.”

“Blood,” he warned.

“Go to the bathroom,” Jason urged as he quickly composed himself in preparation for the bright red spew that usually made him nauseous. The brunette followed Matt into the bathroom and directed him to sit on the toilet while he retrieved the first-aid kit from the medicine cabinet.

Jason popped the small white case open and grabbed the gauze. He took a deep breath. “Move your hand,” he said calmly.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Matt reluctantly lowered his hand. The brunette suppressed the urge to squeal as he gently plugged the man’s nostrils with the gauze to absorb the blood.

“Is that a tampon?” Matt asked.

Jason giggled. “No, dork,” he replied as he grabbed a small towel, dampened it with warm water and gently placed it against the man’s cheek.

Matt winced.

“Sorry,” the brunette cooed.

The man glanced up at his ex-husband. Jason’s eyebrows were furrowed in concentration as he tried to clean Matt’s face without hurting him any further.

“What are you smiling about?” Jason asked, tone almost teasing.

“Hmm? I wasn’t smiling.”

“You totally were, Egghead.”

“I’m just shocked that you haven’t fainted yet. You were never the one to handle the sight of blood well.”

Matt could see the wheels practically turning in the brunette’s head as he pondered how to word what he wanted to say. “Well, ex-husband or not, if you’re all busted up, I’ll try and fix it. Especially if it’s my fault,” he said quietly.

“It’s not your fault. Ex-husband or not…if someone is attacking you, I’m going to intervene. Right or wrong, I’ll always have your back.”

Jason’s smile was soft before it faded.

“What’s wrong?” Matt asked as soon as he felt a hint of tension.

“Nothing.”

The man moved too quickly as he looked up, bumping his crooked bridge into Jason’s hand.

“Ow!”

“Well, stop moving,” the brunette reprimanded.

Matt grumbled something under his breath.

“Don’t be a baby.”

“It hurtssss. I’ll most likely have to go to the hospital to have it set.”

“Yeah…unless you like the Owen Wilson look,” Jason teased.

The man rolled his eyes.

“Do you think we should file a police report about this?” Matt asked.

“No,” was Jason’s instant reply. “I don’t want to cause anyone anymore trouble. I just want to go home.”

“The estate?”

“No. Brooklyn,” he said as if it was obvious.

“Since when is Brooklyn your home?”

“I’m totally not giving you some sappy answer.”

Matt chuckled. “I tried.”

“I know you did, Egghead. But I don’t think Apollo would appreciate that.”

“Shit! I forgot to call him,” the man exclaimed as he jumped up, bumping  his nose against Jason’s hand yet again. The tap was so painful that tears welled up in his eyes. “Fuck!” he groaned in agony.

“Matt, let’s just get you to the ER. You can call Apollo from there.”

—

After changing into their dirty clothing from the night before, the duo made their way to the hospital. After assuring the staff that they hadn’t attacked each other, Matt was treated with a nasal splint and Jason was given an ice pack.

When they were done, Matt immediately tried to contact his boyfriend.

_Opa! You’ve reached Apollo, if I can’t make it to the phone right now then I’m most likely working. If it’s an emergency. try my work number or my agent. If not, kάλεσέ με πίσ! Bye!_

Just to hear the man’s voice, Matt listened to the entire voicemail for the third time before hanging up.

“Either he’s still at his shoot or he’s mad at me,” he sighed.

“Let’s go home and find out,” Jason suggested; pausing before he quickly rephrased, “well, I’m going to my house and soaking in that amazing tub. You can do whatever it is that… you do… take pictures and whatnot.”

Matt smiled. “Sounds like a plan.”

—

After landing in New York, Jason went straight home while Matt made his way to the IMG studio.

When he rushed in, he found Mathu going through shots he’d taken earlier that day.

“Hey,” Matt panted.

“Oh honey, what happened to your face?!” The pink haired man gasped as he rushed over to assess the damage.

“It’s a long story,” he sighed. “Did Apollo come back yet?”

“Why are you asking about him?”

“Um… because he’s my boyfriend?”

Mathu clearly knew something that Matt didn’t as his pink tinted eyebrows raised.

“What?” Matt asked.

Mathu took a sip of his herbal tea. “I’m guessing that you haven’t seen Apollo’s latest interview?”

The man frowned. “No, what interview?”

Mathu hummed in satisfaction as he pulled his phone from his pocket and opened the link to the video before placing it in Matt’s hands.

There was a compilation of Apollo’s photoshoots and runways then the model’s latest work with Anna Wintour, serving as the opening to the interview.

_“Hey guys, it’s your girl Jaidynn Dior Fierce! I’m here with the all legs, no dairy king himself, Mr. Apollo Katsopolis! It’s so good to see you again boo!”_

_“It’s always a pleasure when I’m with you,” the man replied, effortlessly charming._

_“So, at only twenty-six years old you’ve graced the covers of dozens of magazines, walked in shows for countless designers and most recently,  you’ve been inducted into the fashion hall of fame by Mrs. Anna Wintour herself. How does that all feel?”_

_“Amazing!” Apollo practically squealed. “I feel like I’ve accomplished all of my dreams and now it’s like ‘well what do I do now?’” he chuckled. “But no, I’m so happy with everything in my life right now.”_

_“That’s so great to hear. And is there a special someone in your life to share it all with?” she asked in that sly way  reporters always did._

_Apollo smiled softly as he answered._

_“There is someone special in my life. His name is Lucas.”_

Matt frowned. “What the fuck?”

_“Ooo! Details, details!” Jaidynn squealed._

_“He’s so cute and at night he just won’t leave me alone.”_

“Shady shit,” the man hissed.

_“You heard it here first folks! Apollo Katsopolis gets no sleep at night!”_

_“Yeah, he’s either licking my face,  chewing on my shoes or pooping on the floor.”_

_“What the- Apollo, is he a puppy?”_

_The man cackled. “An English bulldog,” he confirmed._

Matt sighed in relief.

_“Aww, I’m sure he’s absolutely precious. And as far as lovers go?”_

_Apollo paused before responding. “I’m a free agent,” he said quietly._

_“And that’s the real t, ladies and gentlemen! This fine young man is singleeee. Apollo, it’s always so good to see you.”_

_“It’s good to see you as well, darling,” he said before giving each of her cheeks a soft kiss._

Matt nearly tossed the phone across the room when he remembered that it didn’t belong to him. He returned it to Mathu’s hand.

“So this is news to you?” the pink haired man asked.

“It is,” Matt said through gritted teeth. “I’m gonna pay the ‘free agent’ a visit.” The man stormed towards the exit.

“If you want a rebound, call me!” Mathu shouted after him.

 





	11. Chapter 11

Matt felt the delicate snowflakes melt against his skin as he stormed up the cobblestone pathway to Apollo’s condo.

Once he made it to the door, rather than ring the doorbell, he pounded on the door as hard as he could with the side of his fist. A chirpy bark sounded from inside.

“Lucas, get in your bed,” Apollo ordered to no avail as he opened the door. He raised his eyebrows, clearly shocked to see the man, let alone the man with a bandage on his nose. “Hey…what happened to you?”

“That’s not important,” Matt snapped.

“Okay..” he responded with concern in his tone.

“I mean can I come in or is that ruining  your ‘free agent’ aesthetic?”

“Of course you can come in,” Apollo replied, making enough room for Matt to enter.

The man’s ankles were immediately attacked with soft paws by the small, wrinkly puppy.

Already annoyed, Matt didn’t want to be bothered with the bundle of cuteness. “Hey, beat it, you turd,” he groaned.

Apollo scooped the brown and white aggressor into his hand. “Be good,” he reprimanded. “You have to get used to him too.”

“Why would he have to get used to me if you’re a free agent?! You know, if you had a problem with me, you should’ve said something to _me_. Not the fifty million people who watched it! Do you know how embarrassing it is to find out that you’ve been dumped with Mathu grinning over your shoulder?!”

Unhappy with Matt’s tone, Lucas let out a low growl before barking at the man.

“Shut up!” Matt fumed.

“Hey, don’t yell at him,” Apollo said protectively.

“I’m pissed that you think you can just blow me off like that!”

“Blow _you_ off?” Apollo retorted. “How about the time I got embarrassed in front of my colleagues and you left with your ex, who happened to be the source of my reason my night was ruined to begin with.”

“I tried to come back! You wouldn’t let me in!”

“You shouldn’t have left in the first place.”

“Oh my God,” Matt groaned in exasperation. “

“And how about the time you left during sex. I understand why you did it, Jason being attacked is very serious, but you never answered my contract attempts.”

“You never contacted me!”

“My Anna Wintour shoot was in the Caribbean my phone signal was shit there so I had to borrow a computer to email you.”

Matt scoffed. “Email? Nobody uses email anymore.”

“Well myself and many other professionals do.”

“Okay, but that’s still no fucking excuse to just say that you’re single without even having the balls to break up with me in person! That was so fucking weak and shady, Apollo. And I don’t think I’ll ever respect or forgive you for it.”

The man was clearly hurt by the statements and he took a deep breath before speaking again. “Just check your email,” he said quietly.

 _Fuck the email_ , Matt wanted to shout but he decided to humor the man. He scrolled through his phone and saw the three day old message.

_Hey moró the phone service on this island is terrible but I wanted to do whatever I could to check on you. If ya gotta borrow a rinky dink computer then so be it lol._

_How are you? How is Jason? I hope he’s okay so that you can be okay. I’m currently getting my hair done for the shoot and it’s customary to do shoots, interviews and commercials all in one day to save money so I have an interview right after this. I’m exhausted but I’m living my dream!_

_I also wanted to let you know that my agent suggested that I keep it cool on the significant other forefront, just until I secure my spot amongst the legends. I think the entire thing is stupid but believe it or not, the fashion industry sees families as liabilities. I initially refused, but I wasn’t sure if you wanted to be in the spotlight like that so staying private is the best option for now. We could always go public later, but once you do, you can’t take it back. Cameras everywhere, the paparazzi chasing you- which scares me a little because your safety is what’s most important to me._

_I hope you understand._

_Okay, time to werk! Hope to hear from you soon!_

_xoxo_

_Apollo_

Matt felt like complete shit and to deflect from it, he was adamant about proving that the misunderstanding wasn’t his fault. “Apollo, how on Earth was I supposed to know about this? Literally, zero people use email.”

“You used it last week to subscribe to the Star Wars newsletter,” he reminded.

The man exhaled loudly.

“Matt, I don’t know where you want to go with this relationship but I have to be honest… I just don’t think it’s working.”

His heart sank. “Wh-What? What do you mean? Are you breaking up with me?”

“You having feelings for your ex-husband because it’s still so fresh, I can handle that, but if you aren’t willing to began the journey in getting over him, then-”

“Noooo,” he whined. “I am!”

“I just don’t see it,” he said softly before sniffling back his tears. “And you know what truly hurts me? Is that you said you can’t forgive or respect me for what I did.”

“Well, babe that was said out of anger before I knew what was really going on,” he defended.

“But as my boyfriend, you should’ve trusted me to know that my intentions in whatever I do or say are never malicious. I’ve had to work my entire life to get respect from everyone who didn’t believe in me,” he said, growing more emotional with each word, “and to not have it from the person whose opinion I actually care about, hurts more than you know.”

Apollo hated the vulnerability that crying in front of others brought and quickly wiped away the tears that escaped.

“Babe, I’m sorry,” Matt said, tone pleading. “I fucked up and if you just let me try and fix it, I will.”

The man’s tears were beginning to overwhelm him and he couldn’t take it anymore. “Matt, I can’t handle this right now. Please just leave,” he sobbed.  

Matt felt a twinge in the pit of his stomach. “Okay, babe…just don’t give up on me… please.”

The only clear response he received was Lucas barking at the top of his tiny lungs as Apollo became lost in tears.

Matt suppressed his own weeping until he could get to the porch. After gently closing the door behind him, the man flopped into the snow on the limestone stoop and lost his battle to the tears that turned to frost the second they spilled over onto his cheeks.

—

When Matt became so cold that he couldn’t think, he stiffly made his way to his home where he sat on the floor of his shower until a banging on his door made him so excited that he sprinted down the stairs and to the living room.

When he flung the door open, he was greeted by Jake whose smile quickly turned into disgust.

“Dude, where are your clothes?!”

“I thought you were Apollo,” he sighed.

Jake cringed. “Did you forget that you called me? I’m not sure if I even wanna come in now.”

“Please do,” Matt practically begged. “I seriously need a friend right now.”

“Fine. But you _seriously_ need to put some pants on.”

Matt obliged as he nodded his head and took the stairs to his bedroom where he turned off the shower before putting on a hoodie and silk pajama bottoms that his husband had purchased for him on Valentine’s day a few years back.

He descended the stairs and found his friend helping himself to the leftover pizza in the fridge. Jake glanced over his shoulder before he began to to speak.

“So what’d the doctor say? How long do you have to wear that splint on your nose?”

“Two weeks. It fucking sucks.”

The man chuckled. “I can’t believe you got your ass beat by an eighteen year old.”

“He’s huge! The kid probably eats steroids like candy.”

He continued to laugh. “Probably.”

“What about you? I know IMG has a strict no violence policy. Is the studio putting you on probation?”

“Nah. Once they got the full story they understood and luckily my money maker aka my face, wasn’t hit.”

“Makes sense.”

“Yep, I almost risked it all for that ex-husband of yours.”

There was a moment of silence before Matt quietly thanked him.

“For what?”

“Helping him. I know you guys aren’t exactly besties.”

“Well, I think he’s annoying sometimes, but I don’t hate him. Besides, I’ll always be your best friend and it looks like you’ll never get over Jason, so I guess I’m stuck with him.”

Matt scoffed. “I am over him. I want to work it out with Apollo.”

“Sureee,” he teased. “Well whichever one of those knuckleheads it works out with, or if it’s someone else entirely, I’ll be happy for you.”

“Thanks,” he sighed. “What about you? I know Max is-”

“Max is married,” he snapped. “And I’m absolutely over it.”

“So why’d you go to the wedding?”

“Because I felt like laughing,” the man said coldly. “This isn’t a movie. Like, I wasn’t about to jump up and object. He didn’t want to be seen with me in public. I’m not a doormat.”

“Yeah you deserve way better than that.”

“Absofuckinglutely.”

“So are you seeing anyone?”

“I’m seeing everyone,” he said smugly. “If they have a nice smile and a tight ass, best believe we’re fucking.”

Matt smiled. “Whore.”

Jake seductively wiggled his tongue.

The man laughed before sighing. “I’m gonna call Jason and check up on him.”

“Have phone sex,” his friend suggested.

“Shut up.”

Jake cackled. “If you no longer need me, I’m gonna get going. I have a date.”

“Have fun.”

“He doesn’t have a gag reflex so it’s bound to be a good night.”

Matt simply shook his head as the friends shared their secret childhood handshake before Jake skipped out of the door.

The man flopped onto the couch as he scrolled through his phone. After selecting Jason’s contact, he placed the device to his ear and anxiously waited.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” he said awkwardly.

“What’s up, Egghead?”

He let out a nervous chuckle. “So we’re sticking with this nickname?”

“Absolutely. It suits you.”

“Pfft.”

“Whatcha doing?”

“Sulking. You?”

“Soaking,” he giggled. “I’m taking a bath.”

Matt’s thoughts were instantly consumed by visions of the man nude and engulfed by bubbles.

“Why are you sulking?”

“Hmm?” he hummed, still distracted.

“Why are you sulkingggg?”

“Oh… Apollo dumped me.”

“What?! Why?”

“Because he did an interview saying he was single and I kinda freaked out and told him that I didn’t respect him for being shady.”

“Damn, Matt.”

“I knowww but I didn’t mean it.”

“You seem to say a lot of things that you don’t mean,” the man replied underhandedly.

A twinge of pain surged through Matt. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

“I’m sorry that you’re sorry,” he replied with sass.

The corners of Matt’s mouth turned up a little. “He also thinks that I always choose you over him.”

“Do you?”

“I don’t know…I don’t think I do. I mean, if you need me I have to be there, ya know?”

There was a long pause.

“Do you love him?” Jason asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“I have strong feelings for him.”

“Hm.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“It’s obviously something.”

“You’re obviously something,” Jason retorted.

“Brat.”

“Yo momma.”

“Jerk.”

“I know you are but what am I?”

Matt laughed. “A toddler.”

“Obvi.”

“Hey, Jason,” Matt heard an unfamiliar male voice say in the background.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final Chapter

_“Hey, Jason,” Matt heard an unfamiliar male voice say in the background._

—

Matt’s eyebrows instantly furrowed as his stomach became engulfed in confusion, bitterness and jealousy.

“Yeah, boo?” Jason replied.

“When you’re done I want you to look at these ties and tell me which one you think goes best with my suit for tomorrow.”

“Ooo fun. Alright.”

“Thanks, luscious.”

“Luscious,” Matt scoffed under his breath.

“Hmm? What’d you say, Egghead?”

“Who is that?” He did his best to suppress the underlying demand in his tone, but his ex-husband saw right through it.

The brunette smirked. “Does it matter?”

“Um, no but they sound real cozy.”

“As they should. They’re a guest in my home.”

“A new friend of yours?” Matt pryed.

“No, we go wayyyy back. He wasn’t cute back in the day, so I’m capitalizing on his glo up,” the brunette giggled.

“Well he must not be all that important if he’s there and you’re on the phone with me.”

“For your information, round one of our fun has already taken place. And as I was luxuriating in my beautiful bathtub, my ex-husband called, not knowing the circumstances of his well being, I decided to take pity on him and answer.”

The last part was an obvious joke, but Matt scowled anyway. “I don’t need your pity. If you don’t want me to call you then I won’t.”

“Oh my God, calm your ass down.”

“No, I don’t like that shit. If you think I’m such a burden while your fucking trade is there then say that.”

“Trade,” Jason chuckled.

“If you’re doing this just to make me jealous, it isn’t working,” he practically growled.

“Trust and believe that I’m not trying to make you jealous, Egghead. I have no reason to.”

How calmly the brunette spoke made Matt even more agitated. “Good,” he hissed.

“Fantastic,” Jason chirped.

“You’re too fucking much.”

“How? You’re the one who’s being a sour patch kid with that nasty attitude.”

“I don’t have an attitude!”

“Okay, Matthew James.”

“Okay! I won’t call you anymore and I hope your ‘boo’ has herpes!”

“Oh my God, you’re so obnoxious. Now who’s the brat?”

“You!” Matt shouted before hanging up. He kicked his coffee table, nearly knocking it over as he scrolled through his phone to Apollo’s contact when he quickly realized that calling the man and ranting wasn’t an option anymore. Jake was on a date and his mother wouldn’t understand and for the first time in years, Matt felt completely alone.

He grabbed one of the beige throw pillows, pressed his face against it and screamed at the top of his lungs into the cushion until his throat became sore. The man revealed in the pain that was now his only companion as the uncontrollable tears streamed down his face.

—

“Honey, come to bed!” Danny shouted down the stairs of the newlywed’s first home together before rushing to the bedroom to change into his silk pajamas.

“Coming,” Max slurred as he took another swig of whiskey straight from the bottle. “Jake,” he whimpered. “You didn’t stop me…why didn’t you stop me?”

The man flopped into a chair at the small dining room table and retrieved his wallet from his pocket. He removed the small square from it’s hiding spot in the corner and unfolded it, revealing the photo of he and Jake on the Coney Island rollercoaster.

Never the one to be an adrenaline junkie, the picture captured Max screaming in terror as he clung to Jake’s arm while his lover cackled.

—

_“Woo!” the man cheered as the rollercoaster screeched to a stop._

_“Oh my God, that was awful,” Max sniffled._

_“Aw, whatcha crying for?” Jake asked._

_“That was a bit extreme.”_

_“Well I know you had your reservations before, but thank you for at least trying it with me.”_

_“I like trying things that you like.”_

_Jake smiled and kissed him before wiping away his boyfriend’s tears. “You’re okay. Let’s go see what our picture looks like.” The man grabbed Max’s hand and interlocked their fingers as they approached the photo stand. When they found their picture, Jake immediately protested._

_“I look like Joker.”_

_“And I look like I’m soiling myself,” Max added._

_“We’ll pass on that,” Jake said as he went to return the photo but his boyfriend stopped him._

_“No, I want it.”_

_“Are you nuts? Why?”_

_“Memoriesss,” he said with a smile as he handed the woman tending the stand a five dollar bill. “It’s ugly but it’s a memory nonetheless.”_

_“You’re something else.”_

_“Do you mind?” he challenged._

_“Nah,” Jake said with a crooked grin as he pulled his lover into a tender kiss. “Come on, let’s go get some corn dogs.”_

_“Are they fat free?”_

_“Pfft, no! Fat is what makes them good!”_

_Max wrinkled his nose._

_The man felt his reluctancy and paused. “Do you trust me?”_

_“Of course.”_

_A mischievous grin spread across Jake’s face. “You’re gonna regret that,” he playfully growled before pulling his boyfriend along the pier._

_—_

“I do regret it,” Max sobbed. “I wish it was y-you. You pushed me to be fearless and you sh-showed me what fun was. I regret trusting myself wi-with you. I regret falling in love with you. I regret h-h-hoping that you’d stop me from making the biggest mistake of my life.” The man placed the bottle to his lips and finished off the rest of the liquor before the drunkard passed out; head hitting the dining room table in the perfect way that’d ensure a splitting headache when he woke up.

“Max?” Danny called as he descended the stairs. When he saw Max slumped onto the table with an empty bottle in his hand, the man simply checked his husband’s pulse before sighing as he returned to their bedroom alone.

—

Sophia glanced in the mirror before twirling in her diamond encrusted wedding dress.

“What do you think, Scout?” she asked.

“Prettyyyyy,” the toddler giggled.

“Yay! I’m glad you like it, Scouty.”

“Jason?”

Sophia pouted. “Jason’s not here.”

“Jason!” he demanded.

“Scoutttt, behave.”

“No!”

“Scout,” she said sternly. “Jason is not coming.”

The toddler’s bottom lip quivered. “Jason go bye bye?”

“Aww, no baby. Please don’t cry,” Sophia pleaded as she picked up her son.

He wiped his eyes with both hands. “Vinny?” he sniffled.

His mother’s heart sank even further. “He’s not here either, baby.”

Scout burst into tears.

“Sweetheart, we’ll still have a good day without themmm. Please stop crying.”

“Vinnyyy,” he sobbed.

The toddler being so upset and not understanding why people who loved him couldn’t be there made Sophia sick to her stomach. “You wanna go see Daddy?”

Scout continued to cry but he reluctantly nodded.

“Shane will you please take him to Jacob?”

“Of course,” her assistant obliged.

Sophia kissed her son’s salty cheek, leaving him with a light stain of her red lipstick. “I love you.”

“Love you,” Scout sniffled as he accepted Shane when the man reached for him.

“See you at the altar,” she sighed.

As soon as they were out of sight, Sophia began to pace; and without a second thought, she gathered the expensive silk of her skirt into her arms, grabbed her car keys and sprinted out of the room.

“We’ve got a runaway bride!” someone shouted.

—

Sophia felt like Cinderella chasing midnight as she dashed into the Four Seasons hotel. Ignoring the greetings and compliments, she rushed into the elevator where her skirt took up the entire lift.

When it stopped, she panted as she made it to room 202. The girl pounded on the door.

A little frightened at the urgency of the knock, Vinny quickly swung it open and to his surprise, there was Sophia in full wedding hair and makeup in the most extravagant dress he’d ever seen. The girl looked so beautiful that it took his breath away.

“Sophia!” Vinny gasped. “What are you doing here?! You should be at your wedding!”

“I know…and so should you,” she exhaled.

The man’s eyebrows furrowed. “But…what about Jason?”

“Jacob doesn’t want him in our lives, let alone at the wedding.”

“And what do you want?”

The girl shrugged her shoulders. “Scout really misses him. And I mean, he is my brother so I’ll always love him… so yeah,” she said, answer completely vague.

“Should I call him?”

Sophia exhaled. “Sure.”

The man turned, approached the hotel’s phone and dialed Jason’s number.

“Hello?” Jason answered with curiosity in his voice at the unknown number.

“Mio figlio, it’s Vinny.”

“What do you want?”

“Um, well, I’m here with Sophia and it’s her wedding day.”

“And?” was Jason’s cold reply.

“ _And…_ would you consider speaking her? You know how important your wedding was to you and I’m sure it’d mean a lot if you said some encouraging words.”

“I do remember how important my wedding day was to me. I also remember how important my marriage was to me and how you two decided to take destroying it in your own hands. I honestly have nothing to say to either of you.”

“Mio figlio,” Vinny pleaded.

“Goodbye,” Jason said before hanging up.

The man returned the phone to the receiver. “He’s still very upset with the both us,” he sighed.

“I hate that what I did fucked up your relationship with him,” Sophia said apologetically. “I know I’m the Grinch and psychotic and I probably came out of Satan’s left nut sack and I’m sorry about it. Look, there’s no time to apologize for all the shit I’ve done but I want you to forgive me and I want you to walk me down the aisle.”

Vinny’s chest radiated as his heart melted. “Sí! Ovviamente! Mi piacerebbe-”

“Well come on then, old man!”

Vinny glanced down at his Hawaiian shirt tucked tightly into his starch pressed trousers. “This is no good for a wedding. Especially for a wedding as perfect as yours.”

“Vinny, it won’t be perfect unless you’re there,” she exhaled.

The man suppressed his tears. “It’d make me the happiest old man in the world.”

Sophia smiled and threw her arms around him. “I love you, Vinny.”

The man wasn’t sure if he’d ever heard the words uttered by the girl and it made him burst into tears. “I love you too…mia figlia.”

—

_Ding! Ding!_

The chirp of the doorbell forced Matt awake.

“Ugh, it’s too early,” he groaned as he pushed himself out of bed. The man made his way to the front door and opened it to find a small wooden box on his doorstep. His eyebrows furrowed. “This better not be a bomb,” he said with a yawn before picking it up, kicking the door closed and carrying the package into his living room.

He flopped onto the couch before  opening the box. The first thing that caught his eye was a gold pin that read _Understood_.

Utterly confused, Matt checked the label of the package and there was no return address so he had to rely on the box’s content to figure out where it came from.

The next thing he saw was a note. He picked it up and began to read.

“ _You are cordially invited to attend the Understood: Let’s Make a Change Gala hosted by Daniel Noriega and Jason Dardo_ \- what the fuck…tonight at six. _Black tie event. *Please wear your pin for support!* Bring warm smiles and open hearts_.”

Matt wrinkled his nose in disgust as he tossed the paper aside. He immediately pulled out his phone and searched the unfamiliar name. The latest pictures he’d posted made the man scowl.

_#TBT to senior year with this glamour puss #cantwaittoseeyouagain #imissyou_

_Shitty lighting but #idgaf #thisnugget_

#<3

“Bullshit,” Matt hissed. “I’m not going to anything hosted by that fucker. No- fuck that, I’m going, but I’m gonna do it my way.”

—

Dressed in his favorite beanie, hoodie and ripped up jeans, Matt approached the doors of the elegant venue but was stopped by security.

“Sir, this is a black tie event.”

“This event can suck my-”

“Matt!” Jason squealed excitedly as he made his way over. “What are you wearing?”

“Clothes,” he sassed.

The brunette rolled his eyes. “Did you seriously come to a charity event dressed like that?”

“This is for charity?”

“Ugh, yeah. Did you read the full invitation?”

“No,” he admitted, only slightly embarrassed as his anger outweighed anything else.

“Well, yes. Due to my recent epiphany, I just want to do better things with my life. This is a charity event I put together to benefit kids struggling with disabilities, kids who have been abused, kids who feel neglected…all of this was in the invitation. If you didn’t want to come then you shouldn’t have, rather than showing up with an attitude.”

Before Matt could reply, his stomach contorted in knots when he witnessed his ex-boyfriend cross the room.

“What’s Apollo doing here?”

“I invited him to speak.”

Matt narrowed his eyes at his ex-husband. “What are you up to?”

“What do you mean?”

“I see you all over Instagram with this guy, who’s not even that cute, and now all of a sudden you’re throwing charity events and inviting Apollo? What the hell is going on?”

“First of all, what’s on my or anyone else’s Instagram is none of your business. Daniel owns Understood, a nonprofit organization that provides help to parents of kids who have learning and attention issues. I reached out to him and we decided to collaborate. I wanted to include kids who have been abused so we can raise money for all of them. Apollo is a well known model with dyslexia who can bring awareness to the fact that so many kids are dropping out of school because they’re made feel stupid when they aren’t. So that’s my goal tonight and if you feel like being lan asshole, please save it for someone else.”

The rant left Matt feeling so shitty that he debated turning on his heel and leaving but he had a bigger heart than that.

“Jason, I’m really sorry. If you’ll let me, I’ll come in and support wholeheartedly.”

The brunette smiled. “Even if you’ll stick out like a sore thumb with that sock on your head?”

“I’ll check my ego at the door.”

“Thank you,” he said softly. “Let him in.”

The burly security guard stepped to the side and allowed the man to enter.

“I want you to introduce you to someone. Hey, Daniel,” the brunette called.

“No,” Matt whispered in protest. “Ugh, this is gonna be so awkward.”

“Yeah?” the bright eyed man replied.

“This is Matt, the ex-husband you’ve heard so much about. Matt this is Daniel.”

“It’s so nice to meet you,” he said, tone effortlessly charming.

“Likewise,” Matt said dryly.

“He’s also the one that called you trade.”

Matt wanted to punch the brunette in the arm for that, but to his surprise, Daniel cackled. “Oh my God, that’s amazing. I wish.”

The man raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you guys hooking up?”

Jason folded his arms and gave Matt a look as he waited for the satisfaction he’d receive from Daniel’s answer.

“Nooooo,” he assured. “We were super close in school but after that we just kinda lost touch. I missed his crazy ass but not _that_ much.”

Jason gave his friend a playful shove.

“Besides,” Daniel continued as he raised his left hand. “I’m happily married.”

“Oh…”

Matt’s face made Jason smirk. “‘If you’re trying to make me jealous it isn’t working’,” the brunette mocked.

The man turned bright crimson. “Well it didn’t.”

Jason leaned in to whisper in his ear. “I’m glad because I’m beyond these childhood games. If I was fucking someone, you’d _never_ know it…darling.”

The glacial way that the brunette spoke made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

“We’d better get going,” Daniel said as he checked his watch.

“Okay,” Jason chirped. “Later, Egghead.”

“Later,” was his barely audible reply as he watched the man make his way towards the stage.

Matt shook whatever the unknown emotion he was experiencing off and began to make his way towards the decadently decorated tables. He didn’t see any familiar faces until he spotted Apollo seated at a table that was full minus the seat next to the model. The man took a deep breath and made his way over.

When Apollo made eye contact with him, his smile was bittersweet.

“Is this seat taken?” Matt asked.

“I don’t think so,” he said quietly.

The man had no idea how much he’d missed the heavy Greek accent until now as he pulled out the chair and sat down. “You look great.”

“Thanks…and so do you. Especially if you were going to the park.”

“Yeah… I wish I could blame the fashion choice on a misunderstanding, but it really was me just being a jerk. I’m ready to own up to my mistakes and be _that_ man again. Ya know?”

Apollo nodded.

“I’m sorry for not making you more of a priority…but like the amazing guy that you are, you went on to achieve something most of us dream about. You’re a true inspiration.”

Apollo’s smile was soft. “Thank you.”

“And I hope that you can forgive me.”

“I do,” the man assured.

Matt wanted to say more but Daniel’s tapping of the microphone on the podium made him hold his tongue.

“Is this thing on?” he joked. “Hello everyone and thank you so much for coming out to support such an amazing event. We all know that kid who may struggle with learning, fitting in or accepting themselves and maybe you _are_ that kid. As someone with ADHD, growing up was really tough; being misunderstood or mistaken for this being this burden on everyone would always upset me, so I made it my dream to help kids just like me. That’s why I founded Understood. To help parents better communicate with their children, because change starts in the home,” he said, finishing with a warm smile. “Thank you.”

After everyone showered him in a hefty applause, Daniel spoke again. “Our next speaker will be Jason Dardo.”

The brunette swiftly took the stage and his spot in front of the podium. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I’ll keep it short and sweet because there’s gonna be an amazing after party once we’re done.”

The audience chuckled.

“In addition to loving, everything that the Understood foundation stands for, I just wanted to bring awareness to children who are being abused and feel like they have no voice. They get to school and tell their teacher that they 'fell down’ or 'they were playing too hard’ out of sheer fear of retaliation from the ones who should love them the most: their families. So I want to add a new division to the Understood foundation that travels across the country, school to school, educating teachers of the warning signs and educating kids that love should never hurt.”

His words were met with thunderous applause. Jason grinned and pulled a massive key from underneath the podium, urging Daniel to return to the stage.

“This is the key to the new Understood rec center that is going to be opening in downtown Brooklyn. A place where kids can come and get help or just to have fun. I plan to have one placed in every major city across this country and I won’t stop until I do. Deal?”

With tears in his eyes Daniel nodded and pulled Jason into a hug. The brunette kissed his cheek before turning towards the podium once more.

“I honestly don’t think any of this will be possible without the face of the century, Apollo Katsopolis!”

The model had a warm smile as he pushed himself away from the table and towards the stage.

“Thank you for coming,” Jason told him as they embraced.

“Thank you for having me.” Apollo graciously stood in front of the podium. “I’ll have to admit that I’m a little nervous. You’d think that someone who poses nude all the time would have more if a backbone but I don’t. Growing up I wished that I had a support system like Understood because it would’ve brought an end to the bullying, crying myself to sleep and the feeling of being so worthless that I wanted to end my own life. But I took those same emotions and channeled it into proving all the voices of people who doubted me wrong. And I want to use the platform that I’ve been blessed with to bring awareness to kids just like me. Dyslexia is not the disability,the voice in your head telling you that you can’t is. Thank you.”

A little emotional from finally opening up and allowing himself to feel free for the first time in his life, Apollo quickly turned to leave the stage but Jason stopped him.

“You are a big part of why tonight had to happen. What I did to you represents what happens to millions of kids everyday and it has to stop. So on behalf of you, me and Understood, I’ll be donating one hundred million dollars to schools across America and Greece to get more help for kids with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.”

Apollo couldn’t hold back his tears any longer and broke down, but he wasn’t the only one. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place and the person who was the most moved was Matt.

The man realized that he had to do better and that nothing should hold him back from achieving his goals. He couldn’t let any more opportunities pass him by and as the speakers left the stage, he chased after the man that he knew he couldn’t live without.

“Hey,” Matt panted when he caught up to him.

“Hey,” he replied.

“Your speech was amazing.”

“Thank you.”

There was an awkward silence before Matt decided to just stop beating around the bush.

“From the moment that I saw you, I knew that you were the one for me. Everything about you, enhances everything about me and I am dangerously in with you. From pizza to every Queen album, nothing in my life is complete until I’ve shared it with you,” he sniffled. “And I want you to be mine again.”

The man smiled. And with tears streaming down his face he pulled Matt close until their lips connected in a passionate kiss. “I love you.”

“Forever starts today, babe.”

 


End file.
